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                        THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024
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Nation    

Thousands rally against Donbas peace plan
Journal Staff Report

KYIV, Oct. 6 - Thousands rallied in Ukraine's capital Sunday against the president's plan to hold a local election in the country's rebel-held east, a move seen by some as a major concession to Russia, AP reported.

Ukraine, Russia and Russia-backed separatists on Tuesday signed a tentative agreement on guidelines for holding a local election in eastern Ukraine, where a five-year conflict between the rebels and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 13,000 people. France and Germany, which help broker the talks, hailed the agreement.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has cast the deal as an intermediate step needed to organize a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany to push for a peaceful settlement.

But participants in Sunday's rally denounced the move as a capitulation to Russia, which has backed the separatists.

"Our soldiers have given their lives for a united Ukraine, and we don't want peace at any cost on Russia's conditions," said one of the demonstrators, Andriy Gnapko.

About 15,000, including veterans of fighting in the east, gathered on the Maidan, the main square in central Kyiv, under placards "Shame!" and "No to capitulation!" Some of the participants later marched to the parliament building and presidential headquarters.

"Ukraine has been at war for five years, and I lost several of my friends, and they are now telling us that all of it was in vain," said Ihor Roshchenko, a soldier. "One man can rob us of our country with his ill-considered steps."

Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience, was elected by a landslide in April on promises to combat the country's endemic corruption and end the spiraling war in the east.

Zelenskiy strongly defended a plan for an election in the east, vowing that the vote will follow Ukrainian laws and include candidates from Ukrainian political parties. He emphasized that the election should be preceded by a lasting cease-fire and an exchange of all prisoners.

Russia, hoping that the implementation of the Minsk agreement could open the door to easing the European sanctions, welcomed Zelenskiy's moves. (ap/ez)




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