On February 12, Ukrainian, Russian, German, and French leaders met in Minsk, Belarus and agreed to sign a ceasefire agreement for eastern Ukraine. Two CREES Faculty Associates, Yuri Zhukov (political science) and Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky (public policy), were quoted in an International Business Times article about the meeting and agreement.

Professor Zhukov will give a related lecture at the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies on March 24, 2015, entitled, "Trading Hard Hats for Combat Helmets: The Economics of Rebellion in East Ukraine." CREES is a co-sponsor of the lecture.