Ukraine talks reach agreement on demarcation line, German official says

Diplomatic progress was made during four-way talks on the Ukraine crisis and an agreement reached on establishing security zones between pro-Russian fighters and Kiev’s forces, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.

“Finally there was an agreement reached today (yesterday) that the demarcation line, mentioned in the Minsk protocol, will be the line from which the withdrawal of heavy weaponry should start now,” Steinmeier said late on Wednesday after talks with his counterparts from France, Russia and Ukraine.

Still, Steinmeier added: “A lot depends on the question that what we have agreed on will not only remain printed paper, but will also change the situation on the ground.”

In a joint statement released by the German foreign ministry, the ministers noted “with serious concern” that fighting in eastern Ukraine had severely escalated, causing the loss of many human lives including civilians.

“This must stop immediately and the regime of quiet must be restored,” the statement said, adding that the ministers called on all actors on the ground to fully respect it. That included withdrawal of heavy weapons in accordance with the contact line as stipulated in the Minsk peace plan.

The ministers said tangible progress on the full implementation of the Minsk protocol had to be achieved before a planned summit could take place. That included an effective cease-fire.

The four ministers reiterated support for the Ukraine contact group and called on signatories of the Minsk peace plan to meet in the coming days to implement the ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons.

This happened as at least eight civilians were killed yesterday when a shell or mortar hit a public transport stop in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, regional officials and witnesses said.

The strike, which wrecked a trolleybus and blew out windows nearby, followed a night of intense fighting at the city’s main airport.

— Reuters