Protesters in Ukraine rally against election in rebel east

Thousands rallied in Ukraine's capital Sunday against the president's plan to hold a local election in the country's rebel-held east, a move seen by some as a major concession to Russia.

Ukraine, Russia and Russia-backed separatists on Tuesday signed a tentative agreement on guidelines for holding a local election in eastern Ukraine, where a five-year conflict between the rebels and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 13,000 people.

France and Germany, which help broker the talks, hailed the agreement.

Ukraine's newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has cast the deal as an intermediate step needed to organise a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany to push for a peaceful settlement.

But participants in Sunday's rally denounced the move as a capitulation to Russia, which has backed the separatists.

"Our soldiers have given their lives for a united Ukraine, and we don't want peace at any cost on Russia's conditions," said one of the demonstrators, Andriy Gnapko.

About 15,000, including veterans of fighting in the east, gathered on the Maidan, the main square in central Kyiv, under placards "Shame!" and "No to capitulation!"
"One man can rob us of our country with his ill-considered steps."