Russia Update: Putin to Take Part in Minsk Peace Talks

February 11, 2015
President Vladimir Putin. Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko/Reuters

Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies.

The previous issue is here, and see also our Russia This Week stories ‘Anti-Maidan’ Launched by Nationalists, Cossacks, Veterans, Bikers and The Guild War – How Should Journalists Treat Russian State Propagandists? and special features ‘Managed Spring’: How Moscow Parted Easily with the ‘Novorossiya’ Leaders, Putin ‘The Imperialist’ A Runner-Up For Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ and It’s Not Just Oil and Sanctions Killing Russia’s Economy, It’s Putin.

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UPDATES BELOW


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Putin Headed to Minsk Talks

President Vladimir Putin is headed to Minsk to take part in the talks in the “Normandy” format on the war in Ukraine, Vedomosti reported, citing the Kremlin press service.

The notice at 12:55 pm Moscow time said that Putin was headed to Minsk.

French President Francois Holland and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have also decided to fly to Minsk.

A source in the French administration told AFP that the president hopes to exhaust all opportunities for a diplomatic settlement of the crisis.

President Petro Poroshenko also says he plans to travel to Minsk.

As we reported on our Ukraine Live blog, the talks are expected to start at 17:00 Minsk time or 14:00 GMT.

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick