DIPLOMATIC SUNNY SUNDAY : HOT LINE

USPA NEWS - What´s the preferred activity of the heads of state, during a sunny Sunday ? They converse on the phone for hours to try to resolve the complex situation in Ukraine right now and to obtain peace in the conflict zone.

More than two months after the beginning of a pro-Russian separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting between the army and insurgents killed at least 375 dead. The President of the French Republic, François Hollande and Chancellor Merkel had, in the early afternoon, a new telephone conversation of more than two hours with President Putin and President Poroshenko on the situation in Ukraine. Indeed, it was discussed at the expectations expressed by the European Council in Brussels on Friday, June 27, hoping that the results should be obtained by Monday, June 30. The following four conditions are awaited within 72 hours required by the collective decision and unanimity. Angela Merkel and François Holland encouraged their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts at the opening of negotiations on “the implementation of the peace plan under negotiations“ presented by President Poroshenko who agreed to extend the cease fire. (According to The Elysée Palace, Paris) 1 - Agreement on a verification mechanism, monitored by the OSCE, for the ceasefire and for the effective control of the border 2- Cease-fire and the effective control of the borders 3 ““ Return to control of Ukrainian authorities in the three border chekpoints made by separatists (Izvarino, Dolzhanskiy, Krasnopartizansk). 4- Release of hostages including all of the OSCE observers.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has also talked on the phone with Vladimir Poutine, threatening Monday his Russian counterpart further sanctions if Russia fails to stop the flow of arms in Ukraine and did not stop supporting the separatists. Obama warns Putin in a telephone conversation, during which he called on Moscow to take "concrete steps" to reduce tension in Ukraine, according to the White House. On the other hand, Vice President Joe Biden spoke again with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the implementation of President Poroshenko's peace plan. The Vice President welcomed Ukraine's unilateral declaration of a ceasefire on June 20 and expressed concern that separatist leaders have refused to reciprocate. He also commended President Poroshenko's continued commitment to holding round-table discussions with civic leaders in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with his peace plan. President Poroshenko informed the Vice President that Russian-backed separatists continued to attack Ukrainian forces, including with the use of artillery, following the ceasefire declaration. The Vice President reiterated that the United States was working closely with its G-7 partners to prepare further economic sanctions against Russia if Moscow did not take actions as described in the G-7 Leaders declaration to stop the flow of arms and militants across the border and use its influence to publicly call on the separatists to lay down their arms. (According to The White House, Washington DC.)

The French President François Hollande said at the Press Conference at European Council, concluded on Friday: “I congratulate the council unanimously who adopted this position that is not easy because there are different sensitivities, but, given the process we have initiated the Chancellor Merkel and myself, we could give a guarantee that the conditions were good, when asked to the Russian party because they were possible to achieve them. 72 hours is not much, but I felt that the president Poroshenko could not go further if there was no response from the side of Vladimir Putin and especially the separatists. “