Ukraine’s Poroshenko Rejects Russia’s ‘Hybrid’ Peacekeeping Proposal

By John Irish

UNITED NATIONS – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has rejected a Russian proposal to deploy United Nations peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine, asserting that it is an attempt to legitimize Russian proxies and entrench the ongoing conflict.

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have reached unprecedented levels since Russia’s annexation of Crimea over three years ago, followed by increased hostilities from Russian-backed separatists against Ukrainian forces in the eastern region.

This month, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the introduction of armed U.N. peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine to safeguard ceasefire monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to help mediate the conflict, which has resulted in over 10,000 deaths since 2014.

In his address at the United Nations General Assembly, Poroshenko accused Moscow of failing to enhance international security, labeling it as the "biggest threat" to stability.

"The latest hybrid peacekeeping proposal from Moscow is yet another example of Russia’s true intention to legitimize its proxies and freeze the conflict indefinitely," he stated.

Poroshenko emphasized that a comprehensive peacekeeping operation is essential for de-escalation and for protecting the Ukrainian populace.

Initially, Putin proposed that peacekeepers be stationed along the contact line between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists. However, he later indicated they could also be deployed to other areas where OSCE monitors operate.

"The mandate for peacekeepers must encompass the entire occupied territory, including the Ukrainian-Russian state border. This is essential. As long as the border serves as a primary supply route for personnel and arms to the Donbass region, peace will remain elusive," he remarked.

Ukrainian officials and Western nations accuse Russia of directly supporting the eastern insurgency, a claim Russia denies.

Attempts to negotiate an end to hostilities through the so-called Minsk agreements have largely failed, with ongoing violence and repeated violations of ceasefire agreements raising concerns among Western powers about the potential collapse of peace efforts.

"The core issue in Donbass is that Ukraine and Russia have fundamentally different objectives," Poroshenko explained. "Ukraine seeks peace and the restoration of its territorial sovereignty, while Russia aims to exert control over Ukraine and obstructs all initiatives to restore our sovereignty at the border."

Ukraine’s alternative proposal stipulates a ban on any Russian nationals participating in a peacekeeping mission, focusing on the border region with Russia that remains outside its control. Moscow has thus far rejected this notion.