The last chances for peace in Ukraine are at stake. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel is flying to Washington where she will try to convince US President Barack Obama to give up the military option, President Putin has made it clear that he does not accept ultimatums. Yesterday, at the end of the scheduled conference call, Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko proposed to meet on Wednesday in Minsk to discuss the peace plan currently being prepared.
But while the German chancellor is about to meet Obama, Russia's position seems increasingly uncertain: Moscow will in fact be present in Minsk only "if by that day it is possible to agree on certain positions", said Vladimir Putin, according to what was reported by the Tass agency. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile responded harshly to US Vice President Joe Biden: "With weapons in Kiev, unpredictable consequences, replied Putin's right-hand man, commenting the statements of Biden, who had expressly declared that the US would continue to provide "security assistance" to Kiev. John Kerry tries to reassure: "Diplomatic solution".
In the meantime, the foreign ministers of the European Union have decided to extend - but suspend until 16 February - the measures against 19 subjects, including Russian authorities and Ukrainian separatists, and 9 entities that contributed to generating the conflict in the former soviet republic. Meanwhile eight civilians died and a dozen were injured in recent shelling in various locations near Donetsk, a stronghold of pro-Russian separatists.
