MOSCOW, Russia – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced Tuesday that he has ordered an end to military operations against Georgia.

The announcement came minutes before French President Nicolas Sarkozy was to land in Moscow to meet with Medvedev to negotiate terms for a possible cease-fire.

“I have reached a decision to halt the operation to force the Georgian authorities to peace,” Medvedev said. “The aggressor has been punished and has incurred very significant losses. Its armed forces are disorganized.”

“The statement on the halt of the military action by Russia is the news we had expected. It’s good news,” Sarkozy said, according to an Interfax report.

The decision ends five days of fighting that began in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia and spread well into Georgia. Read story

UPDATE:  AP is reporting that Georgian officials are reporting that Russia has not halted its military operations.  “Georgian officials insist that Russia has continued the bombings despite the pledge, but Russia denied that.”

UPDATE:  Russia and Georgia have agreed to the terms of a peace agreement negotiated through French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy.  Still need signatures….keep your fingers crossed.