MARGARET WARNER:

To a great extent, the Poroshenko visit to Washington was aimed also at sending a message to Moscow. To that end, he called for more sweeping sanctions on Russia for its incursion. And he said Ukraine wants special security status, the highest level of ties to NATO for a nonmember state.

But just as urgent for Poroshenko's government is the need to shore up a struggling economy. On Tuesday, Ukrainian lawmakers cheered approval of a landmark deal for closer economic and political links with the European Union, which Russian president Vladimir Putin has adamantly opposed. Behind closed doors, they also passed laws giving amnesty to rebels and temporary self-rule for the eastern areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Those measures have faced criticism in Kiev as tacitly accepting Russian aggression. But they're in accordance with a cease-fire agreement signed on September 5 after months of heavy fighting. Russia is party to the deal, even though it continues to deny its involvement or the presence of Russian troops inside Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a rebel commander in Donetsk said this week the separatist regions do not want to be a part of Ukraine, nor join Russia either, at least for now.