File Photo: US President Barack Obama (Reuters)
US President Barack Obama will hold talks today with European leaders to discuss the Ukraine crisis and global security issues, the White House said.
Obama and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy, as well as the head of the European Commission, will speak by video conference at 11:30 a.m. EST (1630 GMT), it said in a statement.
The meeting comes amid ongoing violence in Ukraine following a fragile 2-week-old cease fire agreement.
Ukraine and Western governments have accused Russia of sending troops and weapons to support separatists in eastern Ukraine, despite the peace deal agreed to on February 12. Moscow has denied providing such support.
Today, Kiev announced it highest casualty toll in several days with three Ukrainian servicemen dead and nine wounded amid pro-Russian shelling despite a cease fire deal.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will hold the call with Obama anchored in the White House Situation Room. European Commission President Donald Tusk will also participate, the White House said.
On Monday, European leaders said they agreed that the OSCE European rights and security watchdog needed a broader role as observers of the cease fire agreement and the removal of weapons.