Changes

==Minsk Agreements==

==Minsk Agreements==

The Minsk Agreements established a 12-point roadmap to ensure an immediate bilateral ceasefire; carry out decentralisation of power, allowing temporary local self-government in areas of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine under a "special status" law; immediately free all hostages and illegally detained persons; ensure monitoring on the Ukrainian-Russian border and a security zone; ensure the holding of snap local elections in Donetsk and Luhansk; remove illegal armed groups, military hardware, and all fighters and mercenaries from Ukrainian territory; pass a law against the prosecution and punishment of people over certain events in Donetsk and Luhansk region.<ref>https://archive.fo/owxxq</ref>

The Minsk Agreements established a 12-point roadmap to ensure an immediate bilateral ceasefire; carry out decentralization of power, allowing temporary local self-government in areas of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine under a "special status" law; immediately free all hostages and illegally detained persons; ensure monitoring on the Ukrainian-Russian border and a security zone; ensure the holding of snap local elections in Donetsk and Luhansk; remove illegal armed groups, military hardware, and all fighters and mercenaries from Ukrainian territory; pass a law against the prosecution and punishment of people over certain events in Donetsk and Luhansk region.<ref>https://archive.fo/owxxq</ref>

The agreement was drawn-up by the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, which consisted of representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]].<ref>[http://www.osce.org/home/123124 Press statement by the Trilateral Contact Group], Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2 September 2014</ref> with mediation by the leaders of [[France]] and [[Germany]].<ref>https://www.csis.org/analysis/impact-normandy-format-conflict-ukraine-four-leaders-three-cease-fires-and-two-summits</ref>  The agreement aimed to implement an immediate ceasefire. It failed to stop fighting in Donbas,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20141023221330/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/mideast/2014/10/23/ukraine-rebels-vow-to-take-back-cities.html</ref> and was followed with a new package of measures, called '''Minsk II''', which was signed on February 12, 2015.<ref name="BBC12FEB">{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31435812 | title=Ukraine crisis: Leaders agree peace roadmap | work=BBC News | date=12 February 2015 | access-date=12 February 2015}}</ref>

The agreement was drawn-up by the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, which consisted of representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]].<ref>[http://www.osce.org/home/123124 Press statement by the Trilateral Contact Group], Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2 September 2014</ref> with mediation by the leaders of [[France]] and [[Germany]].<ref>https://www.csis.org/analysis/impact-normandy-format-conflict-ukraine-four-leaders-three-cease-fires-and-two-summits</ref>  The agreement aimed to implement an immediate ceasefire. It failed to stop fighting in Donbas,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20141023221330/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/mideast/2014/10/23/ukraine-rebels-vow-to-take-back-cities.html</ref> and was followed with a new package of measures, called '''Minsk II''', which was signed on February 12, 2015.<ref name="BBC12FEB">{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31435812 | title=Ukraine crisis: Leaders agree peace roadmap | work=BBC News | date=12 February 2015 | access-date=12 February 2015}}</ref>