Croatian PM hopes Ukraine ceasefire will hold

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic expressed hope on Thursday that the agreement on cessation of hostilities in eastern Ukraine would truly take hold.

Leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France reached the ceasefire deal at a summit in the Belurusian capital Minsk after 17 hours of talks. The ceasefire takes effect on Sunday. Meanwhile, the United States said that Russia would pay an even greater price if it continued to back separatists in eastern Ukraine.

"I hope it does not bring back memories from my country (...) when the truce was followed by another truce. (...) I sincerely hope that it genuinely works this time," Milanovic said in an interview with CNN.
 

Asked whether the possibility of the United States arming Ukraine to defend itself from the Russian aggression was good or bad, Milanovic said it was up to Washington to decide. "Whether it would be good to arm the Ukrainian government or not is for the US government to decide, but certainly we could give it a sympathetic consideration," he said.

Milanovic said that Croatia viewed this issue from two perspectives.

On the one hand, "Croatia paid a heavy price," he said, alluding to the fact that an arms embargo had been imposed on Croatia during its 1991-1995 war of independence, while on the other hand, "we have never been exposed to any maltreatment by Russia historically. Some countries have, we have to be very frank, so it is difficult to put ourselves in their shoes."

Asked if Russian financial assistance to Greece would jeopardise a possible EU decision to expand sanctions against Moscow, Milanovic said that that was unlikely. He recalled that the EU had been very flexible towards the former centrist Greek government and that it would be inconsistent of it to depart from substantially from that position. "Obligations have to be honoured and books have to be kept in order," Milanovic said, adding that this also applied to his country.

Asked to comment on his government's decision to forgive the debts of destitute citizens, Milanovic said that the decision was "purely humane, reasonable, rational and social democratic."

"It is indeed a unique example and it will help tens of thousands of families. We can call it a fresh start. It's not ironic, it's genuine," Milanovic said.

(Hina) vm

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