The situation in Ukraine remains tense. After the internationally condemned accession of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation, the crisis has expanded to the eastern part of the country. Separatist pro-Russian forces are causing increasing anxiety, and the call by the public in the region for joining the Russian Federation is getting louder.

An initial glimmer of hope for a de-escalation was seen in the peace plan signed in Geneva by the foreign ministers of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the United States and the European Union’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The agreement aimed to disarm illegal armed groups, to vacate illegally occupied buildings and public places, and to restore security in the country through the efforts of all the parties involved.

The conflict nevertheless continues unabated. Repeated exchange of fire between Ukrainian soldiers and pro-Russian militia is causing an increasing number of deaths on both sides.