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Germany welcomes Putin 'surprise' on Ukraine peacekeepers
By EUobserver
German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel has said he was "very pleased" with Russia's proposal to send "UN soldiers, a blue helmet mission in eastern Ukraine to implement the cease-fire" in the country. He called the proposal "surprising" after Russia had rejected similar initiatives in the past. Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced the idea at a BRICS summit in China on Tuesday. Russia tabled a draft UN resolution the same day.