Minskaftalerne

Minskaftalerne, known in English as the Minsk agreements, are two international accords aimed at ending the conflict in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, the agreements were reached in 2014 and 2015 under the mediation of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and with participation from Ukraine, Russia, and representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The accords are often treated as a framework for de-escalation, political reform, and eventually a political settlement in eastern Ukraine.

Minsk I, signed on September 5, 2014, established an immediate ceasefire and called for the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line, monitoring by the OSCE, prisoner exchanges, and security arrangements. It also proposed constitutional reforms in Ukraine, including a path toward decentralization and local elections in certain areas, along with broader amnesty provisions and humanitarian access.

Minsk II followed on February 12, 2015, and expanded the framework with more detailed provisions. Key elements included a longer-term ceasefire, withdrawal of weapons to create a security zone, disengagement of forces, and OSCE monitoring. It reaffirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while outlining constitutional reform and decentralization to grant special status to parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. It also called for border control arrangements and additional prisoner exchanges.

Implementation of the Minsk agreements has been uneven. While they provided a diplomatic reference point and a basis for negotiations, ceasefires have repeatedly faltered, and a comprehensive political settlement has not been fully realized. The Minsk framework remains a central reference in discussions about the Ukraine crisis, though its effectiveness as a permanent solution is contested.