MINSK/KIEV ¨C Peace talks on Ukraine collapsed Saturday after just over four hours with no tangible progress toward a new cease-fire but with Ukraine¡¯s representative and separatist envoys angrily accusing each other of sabotaging the meeting.
Ukraine¡¯s representative, former President Leonid Kuchma, left the talks in Belarusian capital of Minsk, telling Interfax news agency that separatist officials had undermined the meeting by making ultimatums and refusing ¡°to discuss a plan of measures for a quick cease-fire and a pullback of heavy weapons.¡±
Denis Pushilin, one of the separatist officials, told the Russian news agency RIA that they were ready for dialogue ¡°but not ready for ultimatums from Kiev while shelling by their forces is going on in the background of towns in the Donbass (industrialized eastern Ukraine).¡±
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.