Ukraine may grant autonomy to pro-Russian separatists in a bid for peace

Country's highest court offers limited self-rule for three years to separatist-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk in tentative move to fulfilling Minsk agreement

Members of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic forces sit on an armored vehicle in Hrabove, Ukraine

Ukraine’s highest court has allowed MPs to change the country’s constitution to grant Russian-backed separatists partial autonomy, in a tentative move towards fulfilling a key part of the peace agreement aimed at ending the 16-month conflict in the east of the country.

In a decision reached on Friday morning, chief justice Vasyl Brintsev said that allowing the Luhansk and Donetsk regions to run their own elections and police forces “does not break or limit the rights and freedoms of [Ukrainian] people and citizens.”

“Decentralisation” for the eastern regions is a key part of a peace protocol negotiated by Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian president, at talks brokered by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Francois Hollande, the French president, in Minsk in February.

Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Petro Poroshenko in Minsk in 2014 (EPA)

The western-backed proposals approved by Mr Brintsev would grant limited self-rule to separatist-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions for three years.

Mr Poroshenko called the decision "an important step that moves us closer to momentous changes for the state”.

But the plans have raised concern amongst many MPs and drawn intense criticism from the Ukrainian media, with many suspicious of the constitutional court and resentful of giving in to separatist demands.

“Unfortunately today has confirmed once again that the constitutional court is in the pocket of those in power,” said Igor Firsov, an MP for the pro-European Udar party.

The Verkhovnaya Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, voted to ask the constitutional court to rule on the legality of the proposals on July 16.

A Ukrainian serviceman in the village of Pisky in the Donetsk region 

Even if the amendments are passed, it is unclear whether they will have any impact on the situation on the ground.

The separatists have said the proposals do not go far enough, while Russian officials have interpreted the Minsk plan to mean full federalisation, which would grant the breakaway regions near full autonomy and potentially a veto on foreign policy questions such as formally aligning with Nato.

The Ukrainian president is under strong pressure from western governments to offer concessions to make the Minsk agreement work, including conceding some form of autonomy for rebel-held Donbass and withdrawing troops from key flash-points in order to reduce the danger of a return to all-out warfare.

Earlier this week Ukrainian volunteer battalions were pulled out of the front-line village of Shirokino and replaced with marines as part of an agreement to “demilitarise” the area east of Mariupol, which has seen some of the most intense fighting since February.

The move drew praise from western governments including the United States, but the decision to abandon positions overlooking Shirokino was bitterly denounced by some soldiers and volunteer battalion members.

The demilitarisation agreement may be expanded on Monday, when Ukrainian and separatist representatives are to discuss a pullback of weapons less than 100-mm in calibre from an 18-mile wide buffer zone.

By Roland Oliphant