Ukraine Ceasefire Holding, But Poroshenko Still Complaining

Demands New International Sanctions on Russia

Another day has come and gone, and another 24-hour period of calm in Eastern Ukraine, with no casualties reported on either side, though both continue to complain that the other has been “incomplete” in withdrawing heavy weaponry.

As required by the Minsk ceasefire deal, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has submitted to parliament a draft law that will grant a status of comparative autonomy in the rebel east, with an eye toward settling the conflict.

You’d think everything was going exceedingly well, but Poroshenko is still griping, claiming Russia is “breaking the ceasefire” constantly, and demanding that the international community impose punitive sanctions on them.

Russia, along with France and Germany, brokered the Minsk ceasefire in the first place, a fact that appears not to be sitting well with Ukraine. At the same time, German officials have recently been expressing growing annoyance at the allegations against Russia, particularly from US officials, who they accuse of trying to sabotage the ceasefire.

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.