In particular, Kiev’s insistence on the use of Ukrainian legislation in holding local elections in separatist-controlled areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was confirmed.
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Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko and Russian lawmakers have already praised the move as a step toward peace.
Poroshenko’s comments to a group of military training students in Kiev came one day after the separatists delayed until next year local elections they planned for the coming weeks.
Going into last Friday’s negotiations with French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Putin in Paris, Poroshenko was looking belligerent.
“I would have expected a lot more involvement by the Vatican-the time for cautious diplomacy is at an end”, said Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych, the major archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, who is attending the Vatican synod on the Family this month.
The European Union said the rebels’ decision offered “renewed hope for a sustainable political settlement of the conflict”. And this warded off the biggest threat which impeded the Minsk agreements as it was on November 2nd past year that fake elections were held and the peace process was stopped and guns were heard again.
Soldiers of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic movement ride tanks as they withdraw from the front line outside Luhansk, Ukraine, October 3.
“This is another example of the flexibility and constructive approach shown (by the rebels) as they try to implement the Minsk agreements”, Peskov told Russia’s Interfax news agency.
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Ukraine’s 18-month revolt has killed more than 8,000 people. Trying to sell election rules favorable to Moscow might mean the breakup of Ukraine’s ruling coalition and perhaps snap elections likely to produce a parliament less favorable to Poroshenko. Ukraine and Western governments allege Russian Federation is sending troops and equipment to back the separatists and Ukraine has adopted a national security doctrine declaring Russian Federation as its foe. The Kremlin denies giving military support to the rebels.
