Who Signed the Minsk Agreements

The Minsk agreements, often referred to as the Minsk II agreements, were signed in February 2015 in an effort to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. The agreements were brokered by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and signed by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany.

The signing of the Minsk agreements was a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and separatist forces in the Donbass. The agreements set out a series of measures intended to bring an end to the fighting and establish a lasting ceasefire in the area. Among the provisions of the agreements were the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the conflict zone, the exchange of prisoners, and the establishment of a demilitarized zone around the front lines.

The leaders who signed the Minsk agreements were Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The negotiations leading up to the signing of the agreements were tense and protracted, with disagreements over the details of the provisions and the implementation of the ceasefire.

Despite the signing of the Minsk agreements, the conflict in eastern Ukraine has not been fully resolved. Fighting has continued in the region, and there have been numerous violations of the ceasefire by both sides. The implementation of the provisions of the agreements has also been slow and incomplete, with issues such as the exchange of prisoners and the withdrawal of heavy weapons still unresolved.

In conclusion, the signing of the Minsk agreements was a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and separatist forces in the Donbass region. The agreements were signed by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany and set out a series of measures intended to bring an end to the fighting and establish a lasting ceasefire in the area. However, the conflict has not been fully resolved, and the implementation of the provisions of the agreements has been slow and incomplete.