Russia, Ukraine and the West Reach Deal on Ukraine Crisis Thursday April 17,2014

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, April 17, 2014, for a bilateral meeting to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine as diplomats from the U.S., Ukraine, Russia and the European Union gather for discussions in Geneva

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry looks at EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton after talks on the situation in Ukraine, in Geneva, April 17, 2014.


Ukraine, Russia, the European Union and the United States have agreed on a set of measures to ease mounting tensions in eastern Ukraine.

The 7-paragraph agreement reached in London on Thursday April 17,2014 does not specifically require Moscow to withdraw 40,000 troops massed on its border with Ukraine, and does not reference Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula last month.  It also does not obligate Moscow to hold direct talks with the interim government in Kyiv.

But the 4-party (Ukraine,Russia,EU and USA)statement says monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will immediately begin to put the de-escalation measures into place.




U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking Thursday April 17,2014 in Geneva, said the measures include disarming pro-Russian militants occupying buildings in eastern Ukraine and the return of the buildings to their legitimate owners.

A joint statement from the four powers says amnesty will be granted to protesters who surrender weapons and leave the buildings, except for those found guilty of capital crimes.

Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, who already are in Ukraine, will be engaged in putting the de-escalation measures into place.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the four parties will work to establish a broad national dialogue to ensure protection of Ukrainians' rights