Mutual mistrust over eastern Ukraine after Minsk peace talks

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has denied a peace deal brokered after marathon talks in Minsk includes provisions for creating autonomous regions. He spoke to reporters about trust.

“If it is a question of trust, my answer will be the following: I trust the European leaders, and I think we have a problem of trust with Russia,” Poroshenko said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that the ceasefire will be effective starting from Sunday but added that he and Poroshenko disagreed on assessing the situation in the key flashpoint of Debaltseve.

“We have agreed with President Poroshenko that we will instruct – and I am prepared to do this from our side – our military experts so as to determine what is actually happening now, in real life,” Putin said.

Fighting has intensified in recent days as rebels try to take control of Debaltseve., an important transport hub between rebel-controlled cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Rebels consider the Ukrainian forces surrounded and expect them to surrender. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said its troops have not been blocked.