GENEVA: Russia, Ukraine and the West reached a surprise deal yesterday to try to ease the Ukrainian crisis, in a glimmer of hope for the former Soviet republic that risks splitting in two.
The agreement reached in Geneva between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton laid out concrete steps to "restore security for all citizens" and crucially urged "all illegal armed groups" to disarm and vacate "seized buildings".
The deal also called on protesters to be granted an amnesty if they vacated occupied buildings and surrendered weapons.
It also added that a dialogue that included all Ukrainian regions should be launched - apparently addressing Moscow's concerns that the rights of Russian speakers be assured. The steps will be overseen by monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
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