INSIDE: l Protests against Gergiev, Russian aggression – page 5 l Chicago community honors Rep. Marcy Kaptur – page 9 l Ukraine’s skiers to compete with Tryzub’s aid – page 11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIII No. 7 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015 $2.00 Portman and Durbin announce Second ceasefire deal launch of Senate Ukraine Caucus signed at Minsk summit WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Rob more than ever as the Ukrainian people, Portman (R-Ohio) and Dick fight to preserve their freedom in the face Durbin (D-Ill.) on February 9 announced of Russian aggression, and a key focus of the launch of the Senate Ukraine Caucus. the Senate Ukraine Caucus will be to play a The goal of the caucus will be to strengthen prominent role in advocating for and coor- the political, military, economic and cultur- dinating more robust American efforts to al relationship between the United States support Ukraine. In addition, the caucus and Ukraine. will highlight the many contributions of The caucus will immediately focus on Ukrainian Americans to the United States, the need for a sustained U.S. commitment including the large Ukrainian American to Ukraine in the face of a Russian-backed community in Ohio. I look forward to work- separatist offensive. Sens. Portman and ing with Sen. Durbin and our caucus mem- Durbin recently led a bipartisan group of bers to establish the Senate Ukraine Caucus 15 senators calling for President Barack as a key voice on Capitol Hill for stronger Obama and NATO to rapidly increase mili- U.S.-Ukrainian relations.” tary assistance to Ukraine to defend its sov- “We form the Senate Ukraine Caucus at a ereign borders. Sen. Portman also visited time of real peril for the people of Ukraine,” Ukraine last year to serve as an election said Sen. Durbin. “In the face of continued www.president.gov.ua monitor. Russian aggression in the region and At the Minsk summit (front row, from left) are: French President Francois Hollande, Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Chris repeated assaults on the sovereignty of its Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Murphy (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown borders, Ukraine needs a steadfast ally in Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who hosted the meeting. Russian (D-Ohio) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) will serve as the United States. This bipartisan group President Vladimir Putin is seen in the background. vice-chairs of the caucus. sends a clear message that Ukraine has the “I am pleased to announce the formation unflinching support of the Ukrainian com- by Zenon Zawada term – particularly since many of the of the Senate Ukraine Caucus,” Sen. munity in Illinois and in the United States agreement’s points were repeated from the Portman stated. “We need this caucus now Senate.” KYIV – A second attempt at a ceasefire in first agreement, which was never upheld Ukraine’s east was brokered on February by the Russian-backed forces. 12 in Minsk by the heads of state of France, “Today’s document is practically aimed Germany, Russia and Ukraine after Western at the implementation and fulfillment of leaders warned it was the last chance to that agreement,” said Volodymyr Horbach, avoid an escalation in violence in the a political analyst at the Institute of Euro- Patriarch Filaret calls on U.S. Donbas war, particularly with the U.S. lead- Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv, referring to ership considering providing lethal arms. the failed September 5, 2014, Minsk cease- to help Ukraine protect itself The ceasefire agreement – signed by the fire. “And we remember it all, that only representatives of the Ukrainian and Ukraine began to implement the Minsk by Yaro Bihun Russian governments, the “separatist” forc- accords. The same thing can happen this es and the Organization for Security and time.” WASHINGTON – While U.S. Secretary of Cooperation in Europe (collectively known The new agreement emerged after a State John Kerry, German Chancellor as the Trilateral Contact Group) – consists week of negotiations involving the leaders Angela Merkel and French President of 13 points, including a establishing a of what’s known as the “Normandy format” Francois Hollande were discussing how to ceasefire as of midnight February 15, countries: French President Francois resolve the crisis in Ukraine with removing all foreign armies from Ukrainian Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Ukrainian and Russian leaders in Kyiv and territory and withdrawing heavy weapon- Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin Moscow during the first week of February, ry from what is in effect a newly created and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Patriarch Filaret, the leader of the buffer zone. The talks were prompted by unprece- Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Western and Ukrainians leaders hailed dented fighting between Russian-backed Patriarchate, was in Washington calling the new agreement as a critical step militants and Ukrainian forces, which are on the United States to help his country towards de-escalating the war, which still battling for control of Debaltseve, the protect itself against Russian aggression reached its peak the weekend of January easternmost city still under Ukrainian con- not only with humanitarian assistance but 30-February 1 in a battle for control of the trol. The terrorists also continued to fire on military aid as well. Donetsk regional railroad hub of civilian targets throughout the week, even The patriarch came to the U.S. capital Debaltseve. Several days earlier, terrorists striking one of the main bus stations in at this time – as he did a year earlier – to shot rockets into residential sections of Donetsk. participate in the National Prayer Mariupol, a key port city, killing 31 and Even during the overnight negotiations Breakfast, a large annual gathering of the wounding more than 100. in Minsk, which began the evening of world’s religious and other leaders. And Yaro Bihun “It’s not a complex solution and of February 11, the pro-Russian forces killed he used the occasion of his four-day visit Patriarch Filaret calls for U.S. military course not a breakthrough, but Minsk 2 can two soldiers and injured 21. As for civilians, here to speak about his country’s critical and humanitarian aid for Ukraine during be a step that can remove us from the spi- three were killed and five injured in the needs during his meetings with promi- a meeting at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. ral of military escalation towards a political Donetsk towns of Kramatorsk, Debaltseve, nent senators and congressmen, State impulse after weeks of violence,” said Vuhlehirsk and Avdiyivka, reported Department officials and representatives nized a press conference for him, at which German Foreign Affairs Minister Frank- Vyacheslav Abroskin, the head of the of Washington organizations. he presented his “religious and moral Walter Steinmeier. Donetsk Oblast police. On the first day of his visit here, At the same time, much skepticism sur- February 3, the Embassy of Ukraine orga- (Continued on page 14) rounded its prospects – even in the short (Continued on page 14) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015 No. 7 ANALYSIS Merkel, Hollande try to mediate Minsk summit a ‘glimmer of hope’ with rebel forces near Debaltseve, a gov- ernment-held pocket astride a junction MINSK – The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, between Donetsk and Luhansk. He said 78 between Russia and Ukraine Germany and France plan to meet in Minsk others had been wounded. Rebels have for what French Foreign Affairs Minister by Vladimir Socor on the classical “frozen conflict” model). been trying to drive government troops Laurent Fabius has called a “last-chance Eurasia Daily Monitor from Debaltseve for at least a month in an negotiation” to stop the conflict in eastern February 6 effort to gain more ground, and on remains• No provision a neutral of country arms to (i.e., Ukraine. stays out of Ukraine. Prospects for a breakthrough at February 10 they said they had completely German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the• North Some Atlantic sort of Treatyassurances Organization). that Ukraine the four-way summit in the Belarusian cap- encircled the town. Also on February 10, a French President Francois Hollande con- This package presumably also contains ital on February 11 were clouded by con- rocket attack in Kramatorsk, deep within ferred during the night of February 5-6 ideas regarding the disengagement of forc- tinued fighting and conflicting interests in a government-held territory killed 16 people, with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko es, border control and economic relations war that has killed more than 5,350 people many of them civilians, and wounded 48 in Kyiv. The three leaders and their adviso- between Kyiv and the Russian-controlled since April and sparked the tensest stand- others, according to Ukrainian officials. ry teams discussed a proposal from territories. A protracted negotiation pro- off between Moscow and the West since the Rebels denied responsibility for the attack Russian President Vladimir Putin for an cess is anticipated once a ceasefire is in Cold War. A spokesman for German on the city of Kramatorsk, where rockets armistice in Ukraine, and a German-French place. Chancellor Angela Merkel, Steffen Seibert, hit Ukraine’s military headquarters for the counter-proposal. Ms. Merkel and Mr. Those elements imply re-negotiating the said the meeting “offers a glimmer of hope, Anti-Terrorist Operation. President Petro Hollande proceeded on February 6 to terms of September 2014 Minsk armistice but no more than that.” Mr. Seibert said it Poroshenko made an impromptu visit to Moscow. The Russian president had initiat- agreements. Ukrainian officials unanimous- was “uncertain whether an outcome can be eastern Ukraine early on February 11 and ed this process in secrecy during the pre- ly insist that Kyiv would never renounce reached, but despite all the uncertainty, it is stopped in Kramatorsk, according to a ceding week.