Critics Say Minsk Deal Legitimizes Ugly Facts on the Ground

Western and Russian diplomats are meeting this week to discuss ways to defuse the conflicts in Eastern Ukraine, where fighting continues between Russia-backed separatists and government forces despite attempts for a truce. While top U.S. officials such as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry are touting the importance of a full implementation of the Minsk agreement, critics say that peace deal is a way to legitimize ugly facts on the ground.