French, German, Russian and Ukrainian leaders are to hold "last chance" peace talks on Ukraine in the Belarus capital of Minsk on 11 February. The summit comes in the wake of a series of meetings by Angela Merkel and François Hollande, who were in Kiev on 6 February and in Moscow the day after. Merkel flew to Washington on Monday to coordinate the EU diplomatic initiative with its American partner.
The plan prepared by Berlin and Paris proposes a 50-70 km wide demilitarised zone on the current frontline between the Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian separatists and a "strong autonomy" for the Russian-occupied territories. The US and the EU do not agree however on considering wether to supply military aid to Kiev.
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