Donald Tusk: EU is ready for both ‘good and bad’ Ukraine developments

The head of the European Council, Donald Tusk is ready to step in if the Ukraine peace deal is breached, following an agreement of a ceasefire.

“Today we still have hope for a peaceful solution but the real test is the respect of the ceasefire. […] we remain cautious until words put down on paper translate into real deeds,” Tusk said, following an informal meeting of heads of state in Brussels on Thursday.

Several European presidents were briefed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on the talks held between the so-called Normandy Four, taking in the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, France and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, came after ten months of conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Former-Polish-PM Tusk said that the Minsk ceasefire agreement was “welcome news and gives hope. Hope is good, even essential, but not enough. The real test is the respect of the cease-fire on the ground.

“The first Minsk agreement was, as you remember, not respected. After my conversation with Chancellor Angela Merkel it’s my feeling that we should remain extremely cautious.”