Leaders Agree To A Ukraine Ceasefire -- A News Roundup

The Guardian: Ukraine ceasefire deal agreed at Minsk talks

Ceasefire will come into force on Sunday, but Hollande and Merkel say much work still to be done after marathon overnight negotiations

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany have reached a ceasefire deal after 17 hours of talks in Minsk, Belarus, on the Ukrainian conflict.

The ceasefire will come into force on Sunday as part of a deal that also involves the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line.

WNU Editor: I am personally not optimistic that this deal will last. This agreement is similar to what was signed last year .... but just like in Minsk One ..... in Minsk Two the mechanisms to achieve its goals are undefined or too general to be implemented. What was revealing was that If Putin did not put pressure on the pro-Russian rebel leadership they would not have signed, and if Merkel and Hollande did not put pressure on Poroshenko .... he would not have signed. From my analysis they did this agreement to try and stop the escalation in fighting ..... nothing less and nothing more. My prediction .... both sides will publicly state that they are in favor of the agreement and will abide by it .... but privately they will position their forces and prepare themselves for the next fight.

Update: This is not a good sign .... Poroshenko: no agreement on rebel autonomy (AP) .... especially since the agreement does call for it (at least in the Russian text that I have just read). If this is the case .... the civil war will continue.

Update #2: This is a good analysis of the talks and of the agreement .... Ukraine peace deal looks fragile in the extreme (Simon Tisdall, The Guardian).

Leaders Agree To A Ukraine Ceasefire -- A News Roundup

The Minsk ceasefire deal, point by point -- RT
Key sticking points in Ukraine peace talks: borders/buffers -- AP
The Minsk ceasefire deal in 5 tweets -- RT
Ukraine peace deal: what was agreed in Minsk -- The Telegraph
Marathon Ukraine talks end with peace deal -- AP
Ukraine's warring parties agree to February 15 ceasefire -- France 24
Ukraine crisis: Leaders agree peace roadmap -- BBC
Eastern Ukraine Cease-fire Deal Reached -- VOA
Leaders Announce Plan for Ukraine Cease-Fire -- New York Times
Ukraine Peace Deal Calls for Military Buffer Zone, Elections -- Bloomberg
Ukraine Peace Talks Yield Cease-Fire Deal -- WSJ
Ukraine ceasefire deal reached after marathon Minsk talks -- CNN
Ukraine cease-fire deal announced after marathon Minsk talks -- FOX News
Leaders agree on Ukraine peace roadmap -- Al Jazeera
Ukraine Conflict: Cease-Fire Announced by World Leaders in Minsk -- NBC
Vladimir Putin announces ceasefire deal for Ukraine -- The Telegraph
Leaders agree Ukraine peace deal after marathon talks -- USA Today
Putin backs troop and heavy weapons withdrawal as part of Ukraine ceasefire -- Euronews
Vladimir Putin says Ukrainian peace deal has been agreed and Russian rebels will begin withdrawing heavy artillery from Sunday after marathon talks -- Daily Mail
Four leaders agree to respect Ukraine sovereignty-Kremlin -- Reuters
Ukraine's Poroshenko says ceasefire to come into force from Sunday -- Reuters
Ukraine peace deal: Ceasefire starting February 15, removal of heavy weapons -- RT
Normandy Group Reach Verbal Agreement on Ukraine Reconciliation - German FM -- Sputnik
Donetsk, Luhansk Leaders Sign Minsk Deal on Ukraine - Hollande -- Sputnik
Pro-Russian Rebels Sign Roadmap for Implementation of Minsk Agreement -- Novinite
Merkel says Putin pressured Ukraine rebels to accept ceasefire -- Reuters
France, Germany to Help 'Verify' Ukraine Cease-Fire Deal -- NYT/AP
'Glimmer of hope' for Ukraine after deal at Minsk peace summit -- Reuters
Merkel Sees 'Beam of Hope' After Ukraine Reconciliation Talks in Minsk -- Sputnik
German foreign minister: Minsk deal not all we would have wished for -- Reuters
Russia-Ukraine Cease-Fire: What Did Putin Agree To? -- Bloomberg