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The document was previously presented in closed discussions at a regular meeting in Geneva.
Military experts and peacekeeping specialists gathered in Geneva in the spring of 2022 to discuss the implementation of a future ceasefire in Ukraine, The New York Times reports.
The group released a 31-page report this week that details the technical aspects of monitoring the ceasefire on the front lines. The document was presented in closed-door discussions at a regular meeting in Geneva of American, Russian and Ukrainian foreign policy experts with close ties to their governments.
The document, prepared by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, which is funded by the Swiss government, contains specific parameters for implementing the ceasefire:
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- creation of a buffer zone at least 10 km wide to separate troops,
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- patrolling by 5000 civilian observers and police officers.
The deployment of approximately 10 foreign troops may be required to guarantee the safety of observers.
The monitoring mission will monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons to an agreed distance from the buffer zone. Its activities will be carried out under the mandate of the UN or another international organization.
One of the main difficulties is the length of the border between Ukrainian and Russian-occupied territories, which is five times longer than the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
There is also considerable skepticism about the potential for Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire and to abide by it. Russian officials had insisted before the war that they had no intention of invading Ukraine. Since the invasion, they have also repeatedly violated the agreements they had made.
We would like to add that the leaders of Ukraine, France, and Great Britain may make a joint visit to the United States.
