Russian news agencies report that President Vladimir Putin is canceling his request for parliament’s approval to use force in Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said the premier made a request on March 1 for military intervention in Ukraine, but he withdrew it in a letter to the upper house of parliament. In March, Russia annexed Crimea, which Putin later admitted was with the help of Russian troops. His withdrawal announcement comes after pro-Russian separatists said they would respect a ceasefire declared by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko last week.
