Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko has said that more resolute action should be taken after the deadline for the militants to lay down the arms comes is reached, in particular the introduction of martial law in the Donbas.
“Today the time given for these peace initiatives expires, and today
it’s definitely clear that Russia didn’t back these peace initiatives,
didn’t start to implement them, and didn’t take this chance. There is
still time left until 10 pm, and we’ll hope that Russia leaves Ukraine’s
territory, will give us a peace and ease. However, if it doesn’t happen,
we should act resolutely,” said Tymoshenko after visiting military men
injured in the counter-terror operation in hospital, the party’s
spokesman said.
She also stressed: “I do believe that when peaceful unilateral
initiative of Ukraine ends, martial law should be introduced in Donetsk
and Luhansk regions.”
Tymoshenko also said that if the president submits such proposal to
parliament, Batkivschyna and its faction would unanimously support this
initiative.
“I absolutely agree with the statement of the Ukrainian president
that it is necessary not to carry our military operations on for months,
but to finish them in two hours, and in particular, the whole country
is waiting for this. Russia didn’t support the peace initiatives of
Ukraine. Over this week it intensified attacks on Ukraine, but I’m sure
that Ukraine is strong and can handle this. Peace is an invaluable
thing, but peace has to be won, not bargained for,” she said.
As reported, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered a ceasefire
in the east of Ukraine from 2200 on June 20 until 10 pm on June 27.
“The head of state stressed that the given phase of the peace plan is
being conducted in coordination with the OSCE inspectors and has a
clearly defined period for those who support the president’s plan to be
able to lay down their weapons,” reads a report on the president’s Web
site.
Poroshenko called on everyone to support the actions aimed at the peaceful settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine.
At the same time, the president emphasized that “in the case of an
armed attack on Ukrainian units or civilians, our servicemen will open
fire in response.”
