Poroshenko Calls for U.N. Peacekeepers to be Deployed in Eastern Ukraine

• 02.19.2015, 17:11
•  Europe,  World

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called for U.N. peacekeepers to be deployed to monitor a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. The move came just hours after ukrainian troops withdrew from the strategic city of Debaltseve. "We are convinced, that this will be the most effective and optimal solution in a situation when words of peace have not been kept," said Poroshenko and added, that he believed an "EU police mission" would be the best format for an international presence in Ukraine.

Mr Poroshenko's request was approved by Ukraine's National Security and Defense council at the emergency meeting on 18 February.

"The issue was discussed and a decision has been taken to appeal to the UN and the EU concerning the setting up in Ukraine of a peacekeeping and security operation," said Aleksandr Turchinov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. "We hope that the Ukrainian parliament will also support this decision regarding an appeal to the UN and EU on the deployment of a peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine,"  Turchinov told reporters. According to him peacekeepers should be stationed not only at the "demarcation line" but also along the "uncontrolled" part of the Russian-Ukrainian border, which is now controlled by the self-proclaimed republics. Such deployment will help "observe, and most importantly, to localize the violations, and provide real steps for the peaceful settlement of conflict in Ukraine," he said.

The rebels denounced Poroshenko's call for peacekeepers, saying their presence would "violate" Minsk agreements.  "This is an actual violation of the package of measures to implement the Minsk agreement," Denis Pushilin, a senior separatist figure, said, Haaretz reports . "And so we have a very negative attitude to this," Andrew Purgin, the head of the National Council DNR said  and added: "If the peacekeepers are needed, only Russian," said Purgin.

Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations also said the proposal suggests that Kiev is trying to undermine the cease-fire reached last week in Minsk, Belarus.

"When someone starts to propose some schemes instead of doing what had been agreed, it primarily arouses suspicion that they want to undermine the Minsk agreements," said Churkin.