February 20, 2015

Putin urges surrender of Debaltseve 

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BUDAPEST – Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 17 urged Kyiv to allow Ukrainian soldiers who are encircled in an eastern Ukrainian town to lay down their weapons as Washington warned Moscow that “the costs to Russia will rise” if it keeps supporting the rebels. A Ukrainian defense spokesman, Anatoliy Stelmakh, said “several [army] units were surrounded” in Debaltseve, as fighting for the strategic railway hub continued. Rebels have said Ukrainian forces must lay down their weapons in order to be allowed safe passage. Mr. Putin, speaking on a visit to Hungary on February 17, said the conflict could not be solved by “military means.” Mr. Putin, speaking at a news conference in Budapest with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said the continued fighting in and around Debaltseve was “predictable” despite the ceasefire agreed last week after marathon talks in Minsk brokered by France and Germany. He said he was convinced that a “majority of Ukrainian troops” have “no desire” to fight in what he called a “fratricidal war.” Separatists said on February 17 that they seized most of Debaltseve and had surrounded the remaining government troops there. The rebels claim the truce does not apply to the battle front at Debaltseve. (RFE/RL, with news services)

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