UNIAN
February 11, 2015
Poroshenko: We are ready to declare martial law in Ukraine
The Ukrainian government is ready to declare martial law throughout Ukraine if there is an escalation of the conflict in the east, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday during a government meeting with the heads of regional state administrations, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
“I can say that I, the government and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine are ready to take a decision on the introduction of martial law throughout the country. In any case, I will not be late with this decision, if the irresponsible actions of the aggressor lead to a further escalation of the conflict,” Poroshenko said.
Poroshenko is due to attend peace talks in Minsk on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.
There has been a further increase in fighting in the run-up to the talks…
According to some reports from unofficial sources, agreement was reached between negotiators ahead of the Minsk summit on a ceasefire deal, including the pull-back of heavy weapons and international monitoring of the front line.
However, the Ukrainian side is said to still be insisting that it be allowed to regain control of the parts of Ukraine’s border with Russia where militants have seized control…
That point may well scupper the talks, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that it was “unrealistic” for Kyiv to put this condition forward in the peace talks, according to Reuters.
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