The Guardian
Kiev and Moscow blame each other for the new outbreak of violence in Eastern Ukraine, which resulted in the largest number of victims in recent months.
“The current escalation of the conflict in the Donbas is a clear indication of the blatant disregard by Russia of its commitments under the Minsk agreements with the aim of destabilizing the situation”, — said in a statement the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
A peace Treaty was agreed upon in February 2015, but international observers reported almost daily about the violation of the ceasefire, including using heavy artillery.
Clashes of recent days are the first significant escalation of the situation in Ukraine after the inauguration of Donald trump. Application of the new U.S. President, who is going to improve relations with Moscow at a time as the conflict in the East of Ukraine remains seriously concerned about Kiev.
The Washington Post
More than 10 people were killed and dozens injured in clashes between the army and antigovernment forces in the South-East of Ukraine. A new surge of violence could become a serious test of ability of trump to negotiate with the Kremlin. <…>
The escalation occurred just a few days after the first telephone conversation trump and Putin during which they discussed the situation in Ukraine, and has announced plans to normalize relations between the two countries.
The fighting in Ukraine, which Russia has supported anti-government forces, as well as the war in Syria has significantly worsened the relationship between Putin and former U.S. President Barack Obama. Trump
meanwhile, during his election campaign reiterated the Russian thesis that Putin has not sent troops to the Crimea, and most of the residents do not want to be part of Ukraine.
Ukrainian administration seeks to establish a relationship with trump, counting on the traditional Republican skepticism on Russia to convince the new President to provide much-needed Kiev. Ukrainian officials are trying to arrange a possible meeting between the two presidents in February, but it is not clear where and how it can pass.
Previously, it was suggested that the Kremlin wants to experience the trump at the beginning of his presidency of the international crisis, or take advantage of the chaos in Washington to build on its successes in South-Eastern Ukraine. The result may be an attempt of Russia to the negotiating table to get what you want: to lift the sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea, as well as to consolidate the status of a great power, in oblastwide which will get Ukraine.
The New York Times
The war in the East of Ukraine, flowing sluggishly the last few months, suddenly reminded of his deadly fighting that has lasted for the last few days. The violence, which killed at least eight Ukrainian soldiers and three people on the Pro-Russian side, pushed the front line only a few hundred meters in several places, but potentially it is capable of much American efforts to improve relations with Russia. <…>
Journalists, who visited the city, evidence of psychological pressure, which occurs in parallel warfare: mobile phones in the town was sent a message addressed to Ukrainian soldiers: “You are just cannon fodder for their commanders.”
Due to shelling in the city of broken Elektro – and water supply. The Ukrainian authorities have created a heated shelter for residents whose homes were damaged, and the night temperature dropped to minus 28 degrees. Authorities said they were preparing to evacuate residents of the 16 thousand inhabitants of the city. <Th…
The rebel government in Luhansk and Donetsk national republics, which are not recognized at the international level, issued a joint statement addressed to the presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald trump, who also called for a diplomatic solution to the problem.
Maneuvering the administration of the President of the United States to improve relations with Russia, unsettling Ukrainian officials who fear that Western pressure on Russia can weaken. However, Kiev has no other options but protect their territory, primarily through its own army, which showed its fighting capacity before the start of the American side.
