New ceasefire announced for eastern Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier travelled to Ukraine on 14 September 2016 for a two-day visit together with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault. The Foreign Ministers’ itinerary included a visit to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. The trip focused on the situation in the east of the country.

In this context Ukrainian President Poroshenko said on the 15 September 2016 that his country had agreed to a ceasefire proposal announced by pro-Russian rebels a day or two earlier. Despite the 2015 peace deal (Minsk II), the war in Donbass (eastern Ukraine) had continued to plague the country.

• Primary Source

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Germany: Federal Foreign Office: Press Release, 15.09.16: Foreign Minister Steinmeier in Ukraine http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/sid_564E363EDC5AF514A57239D7827F25B0/EN/AAmt/BM-Reisen/2016/160914_UKR/160914_UKR.html

ESO: Background information: EU prolongs sanctions over actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-prolongs-sanctions-over-actions-against-ukraines-territorial-integrity/

ESO: Background information: Russia and Ukraine step up security amid tension over Crimea http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-and-ukraine-step-up-security-amid-tension-over-crimea/

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ESO: Background information: Normandy Four leaders discuss OSCE monitoring of eastern Ukraine http://www.europeansources.info/record/normandy-four-leaders-discuss-osce-monitoring-of-eastern-ukraine/

Deutsche Welle, 15.09.16: Steinmeier, Ayrault and Klimkin tour east Ukraine http://dw.com/p/1K2zX

Sputnik International, 14.09.16: French, German Foreign Ministers to Visit Donbas on Thursday http://sptnkne.ws/cjTn

The Local.de, 15.09.16: Steinmeier makes first visit to war-torn east Ukraine http://www.thelocal.de/20160915/german-french-fms-make-first-visit-to-war-torn-east-ukraine

Ukraine Today, 15.09.16: German, French Foreign Ministers visit eastern Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/german-french-foreign-ministers-visit-eastern-ukraine-747575.html

EurActiv, 20.09.16: Ukraine concerned at wavering support from Europe http://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/ukraine-concerned-by-the-eus-wavering-support/

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