Ukrainian President Says Most Russian Troops Leaving Country
The Ukrainian government announced this week that following a NATO summit and peace treaty, Russia has removed the majority of its troops from the country's east.
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko announced Wednesday that he and other Ukrainian officials see a rise in peace as Russian troops reportedly leave eastern cities like Donetsk and Luhansk.
"According to the latest information I have received from our intelligence, 70 percent of Russian troops have been moved back across the border," Poroshenko said. "This further strengthens our hope that the peace initiatives have good prospects."
Russia has previously denied that it has sent troops into Ukraine to help pro-Russia rebels, instead claiming that any Russian convoys sent into the area were meant as humanitarian aid.
When addressing the country in a televised cabinet meeting, Poroshenko also promised pro-Russian separatists that some rebel-led areas would receive "special status" through a new bill to be proposed next week.
Ukraine's president added that although some Russian separatist advocate for a full separation from Ukraine, these "special status" areas would never be fully independent of the county.
"The Minsk protocol envisages the restoration and preservation of Ukrainian sovereignty on all the territory of the Donbass (in eastern Ukraine), including that controlled by the fighters," Poroshenko said. "There is no question of federalization or separation of any Ukrainian territory."
Poroshenko's comments fall in line with a peace deal reached between Russia and Ukraine last week during talks in Minsk. The ceasefire went into effect last Friday at 6 p.m. local time, and rebels in Donetsk announced via Twitter: "Representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, and Ukraine have signed a ceasefire protocol."
