Protest in Ukraine
They slam separatist election as peace on Russia’s terms
Protesters in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, hold smoke flares Sunday during a rally denouncing a plan to hold a local election in the country’s rebel-held eastern area. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s action is seen by the protesters as a concession to Russia. More photos are available at arkansasonline.com/107ukraine/.
KIEV, Ukraine — Thousands rallied in Ukraine’s capital Sunday against the president’s plan to hold a local election in the country’s rebel-held east, a move seen by some as a concession to Russia.
Ukraine, Russia and Russia-backed separatists on Tuesday signed a tentative agreement on guidelines for holding a local election in eastern Ukraine, where a five-year conflict between the rebels and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 13,000 people. France and Germany, which helped broker the talks, hailed the agreement.
Ukraine’s recently elected President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has cast the deal as an intermediate step needed to organize a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany to push for a peaceful settlement.
But participants in Sunday’s rally denounced the move as a capitulation to Russia, which has backed the separatists.
“Our soldiers have given their lives for a united Ukraine, and we don’t want peace at any cost on Russia’s conditions,” said one of the demonstrators, Andriy Gnapko.
About 15,000, including veterans of fighting in the east, gathered on the Maidan, the main square in central Kiev, under placards “Shame!” and “No to capitulation!” Some of the participants later marched to the parliament building and presidential headquarters.
“Ukraine has been at war for five years, and I lost several of my friends, and they are now telling us that all of it was in vain,” said Ihor Roshchenko, a soldier. “One man can rob us of our country with his ill-considered steps.”
Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience, was elected by a landslide in April on promises to combat the country’s endemic corruption and end the spiraling war in the east. He is best known in the United States for a July 25 phone call in which U.S. President Donald Trump urged him to investigate the son of his Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
In an interview with Kyodo news agency published Sunday, Zelenskiy reaffirmed his denial that he was pushed by Trump.
Zelenskiy strongly defended a plan for an election in the east, vowing that the vote will follow Ukrainian laws and include candidates from Ukrainian political parties. He emphasized that the election should be preceded by a lasting cease-fire and an exchange of all prisoners.
Last month, Zelenskiy initiated a prisoner exchange in which Ukraine and Russia freed 35 prisoners each — the biggest swap in years. He is now pushing for a pullback of Ukrainian and separatist forces from the front line to end continuing skirmishes. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany provided for such withdrawal to set up a safe buffer zone, but both warring parties have failed to honor the demand.
Russia, hoping that the implementation of a 2015 peace agreement could open the door to easing the European sanctions, welcomed Zelenskiy’s moves.