Ukraine Grants ‘Special Status’ for East to End War

Deal Includes Amnesty for Rebels

The Ukrainian parliament has approved a package of concessions to eastern rebels aimed at ending the ongoing civil war in the nation, declaring a three year “special status” for the eastern oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The special status would grant the region increased autonomy, amnesty for the rebels, the right to use Russian as an official language, and the right to form local police forces independent of the national government.

The three year window, according to President Poroshenko, is meant to cover the period it will take before changes to the constitution usher in “profound decentralization” of the entire nation, granting similar levels of autonomy to everyone.

Over the weekend, Poroshenko confirmed the rebels released 73 Ukrainian troops as part of the ceasefire deal. Though there are questions about whether the ceasefire would last, there appears to be momentum in favor of it.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.