Kiev: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart will on Sunday discuss a fresh peace plan for Kiev proposed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.
After Western leaders on Saturday pressurised Russia to act for Ukrainian peace at the Munich Security Conference, Putin will today discuss the plan in a four-way conference call with Merkel, Hollande and Ukraine's Poroshenko.
In a blunt warning to Russia, US Vice President Joe Biden addresses President Vladimir Putin directly telling him to make a very “simple, stark choice” between either getting out of Ukraine or facing increasing isolation.
"President Putin has to make a simple, stark choice: Get out of Ukraine or face increasing isolation and economic costs at home." -VP Biden
— Vice President Biden (@VP) February 7, 2015
"Given Russia's recent history, we need to judge its deeds not its words. Don't tell us, show us, President Putin! Too many times President Putin has promised peace and delivered tanks and troops and weapons," blasted Biden.
Earlier, speaking emphatically at the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asserted that Russia was waging “a hidden war against” Ukraine as it had “breached international law and annexed part of our territory...”
Ukraine has been maintaining that Russia has been sending troops and weapons to separatists in Ukraine to help them in fight against the Ukrainian security forces.
However Russia denies the claim.
Brandishing a bunch of passports in both his hands, Poroshenko dramatically questioned,
"How much evidence does the world still need to recognise the obvious fact there is a foreign military" presence in the country.
"I take with me the passports and military ID of Russian soldiers, Russian officers who come to us.... after they “lost their ways”
Those are passports and military IDs of Russian soldiers who 'lost their way' into Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/iAr2gQwE9O
— Петро Порошенко (@poroshenko) February 7, 2015
Meanwhile, Germany and France are pitching for a “last ditch effort” for Ukrainian peace, ,calling it “worth trying” if not a sure-shot way to end the conflict which has killed some 5000 people since last April.
Merkel and Hollande met Putin in Moscow last week and discussed the fresh plan which will also include a demilitarised zone of 50-70km (31-44 miles) around the current front line, according to a BBC report.
An earlier ceasefire deal signed in Minsk, in Belarus, last September fell apart as rebels have continued battling the security forces and gained more ground.
