President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to decide on Ukraine’s further steps following the enemy attack on the positions of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas on Feb. 18 morning.
“We are calling a meeting of the NSDC today. We will discuss and make decisions on our further steps. Our course towards putting an end to the war and being committed to the international agreements remains unchanged just as our determination to stand up against the armed aggression against Ukraine,” Zelensky said on Facebook on Feb. 18.
The head of state recalled that today’s enemy attack was made on the fifth anniversary of the Debaltseve tragedy.
“This is not just a cynical provocation aimed at touching the Debaltseve wound, which will never heal up completely. This is an attempt to interrupt the peace building process in Donbas, which has started to move in small, but unstoppable steps,” Zelensky said.
As reported, the firefight, which started near Novotoshkivske, Orikhove, Krymske and Khutir Vilny (Luhansk region) on Feb. 18 morning, ended with one Ukrainian serviceman killed and four wounded in action.