07/02/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Crisis in Ukraine was a key theme of the international security conference in Munich.

07/02/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests & Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency

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Crisis in Ukraine was a key theme of the international security conference in Munich.

Key Events in Ukraine

• According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Klimkin, severance of diplomatic relations with Russia will break the peace process. In this case, negotiations will be conducted only through intermediaries, and the Ukrainian side will not be able to influence their results.
• NSDC Secretary Turchynov believes that the situation in Donbass is very complicated, the Ukrainian army holding back the constant attacks of the Russian-terrorist troops. Ukroboronprom working in three shifts in order to provide the military equipment to the armed forces.
• "Svoboda" party re-elected Tyagnibok as its leader.

Kyiv Life

• Kyiv public transport tariffs doubled.

Ukraine at War

• Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the combat zone according to official figures as dozens of attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements, as well as armed clashes are recorded during last day. Casualties are also recorded among the civilian population. In the Debaltseve area Ukrainian army keep a unilateral truce for the evacuation of the civil population.
  Militants continue random shelling of Donetsk. Record of conversation intercepted by SBU proves that the attacks are carried out by Russian mercenaries to provoke Ukrainian army and local mercenaries for the response.
• The OSCE wants access to the part of state border with Russia uncontrolled by Ukraine to monitor it.
• The UN has recorded more than one and a half million internally displaced persons and refugees from the Donbass.

Ukraine and the World

• 51 annual security conference which focuses on  the events in Ukraine take place in Munich. In his speech, President Poroshenko again stated that he is the "president of peace, not war" and that the basis for resolving the situation in Donbass is the full implementation of all provisions of the Minsk Agreement. Ukrainian army is ready to cease fire at any moment. He showed the audience documents of Russian mercenaries and soldiers as evidence of Russia's participation in the conflict in the Donbass. Poroshenko does not support introducing of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine and excludes recognition of the legitimacy of the DNR and the LNR. He urged the international community to work together to stabilize the situation in the east of Ukraine. According to him, the conflict in Donbass should not be frozen and be resolved as soon as possible.
• NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg vowed Ukraine practical support. Vice President Biden said the United States will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine to protect its sovereignty.
• According to NATO’s Commander in Chief Breedlove, the West should not rule out resolving of the conflict in Donbass by military means. NATO countries can supply weapons to Ukraine, but the participation of NATO troops in combat is impossible.
• Talks between President Poroshenko, German Chancellor Merkel and US Vice President Biden were held at the conference.
• French President Hollande said that Sunday's talks with Putin is the last chance to resolve the situation in eastern Ukraine. Chancellor Merkel is skeptical about the prospects for such an agreement.
• The Russian authorities have decided to continue the prosecution of the deputy of the Ukrainian parliament and PACE Savchenko.
• EP President Schulz stated that the EU's reaction to the swift actions of Russia lag as it requires coordination with all countries - members of the Union.

Trends

• Creating a financial investigations agency by state fiscal service with unlimited powers without control by the other branches of government, the public and business can result in becoming a tool to achieve political and business goals of certain officials. Perhaps limiting the power of the new service could be by monitoring the spending of budget funds. The declared goal of creating a service is to eliminate duplication of functions of the various bodies involved in the investigation of economic crime, but draft law refers to the combination of controlling functions with operational and investigative activities.