Jul 26, 2020 - World

Ceasefire between Ukraine, Russian-backed rebels set to begin at midnight

Fadel Allassan

Tank with Donetsk People's Republic flag — Tanks belonging to the Donetsk People's Republic. Photo: Valentin Sprinchak\TASS via Getty Images

Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine are set to begin a "full and comprehensive" ceasefire at midnight on Monday, AP reports.

Why it matters: The Ukrainian government says that the ceasefire, if upheld, could “pave the way for implementing other clauses” of the 2015 Minsk peace deal, which largely ended major combat but hasn't stopped sporadic clashes between the sides.

14,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which stems from Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and its support for the Ukrainian separatists.
The parties reached a deal for the new ceasefire on Wednesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a phone call on Sunday and stressed the importance of implementing the agreements reached at December's peace summit in Paris.

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Ceasefire between Ukraine, Russian-backed rebels set to begin at midnight

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