File photo of Francois Hollande
Paris:
Angela Merkel urged Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday to back talks between Kiev and rebels in eastern Ukraine.
In a three-way telephone conversation, Hollande and Merkel "called on all sides in the conflict to cease hostilities and asked the Russian president to promote the resumption of negotiations," the French leader's office said in a statement.
Several bouts of talks have taken place between Kiev and officials in Ukraine's Russified east, although the separatist rebels have yet to be brought to the negotiating table.
The statement said Hollande and Merkel had "taken note" of Putin's statements after Ukraine's new Western-backed President Petro Poroshenko announced a unilateral week-long ceasefire on Friday.
"They also reiterated the importance of ensuring full control of the Russian-Ukrainian border in order to avoid infiltrations of equipment and armed men," the statement said.
Putin on Sunday called for Ukraine's leadership and rebels to start genuine dialogue, saying Kiev should halt military operations and guarantee the rights of Russian speakers in the separatist east.
"By and large, Vladimir Putin supported Petro Poroshenko's decision to implement the peace plan," the Kremlin said after the three-way talks.
"It was stressed that the intentions voiced by the head of the Ukrainian state should be reinforced by a real ceasefire," Putin's office added.
"The need to immediately start negotiations between Kiev authorities and representatives of the protesting regions was underscored," the Kremlin said of the phone call.
All three leaders reiterated "their readiness to further facilitate the normalisation of the situation in Ukraine," it added.
Speaking to reporters earlier Sunday, Putin said that the military operation in Ukraine was continuing and pointed to artillery fire in Ukraine overnight despite Poroshenko's announcement of the week-long ceasefire on Friday.
In a three-way telephone conversation, Hollande and Merkel "called on all sides in the conflict to cease hostilities and asked the Russian president to promote the resumption of negotiations," the French leader's office said in a statement.
Several bouts of talks have taken place between Kiev and officials in Ukraine's Russified east, although the separatist rebels have yet to be brought to the negotiating table.
The statement said Hollande and Merkel had "taken note" of Putin's statements after Ukraine's new Western-backed President Petro Poroshenko announced a unilateral week-long ceasefire on Friday.
"They also reiterated the importance of ensuring full control of the Russian-Ukrainian border in order to avoid infiltrations of equipment and armed men," the statement said.
Putin on Sunday called for Ukraine's leadership and rebels to start genuine dialogue, saying Kiev should halt military operations and guarantee the rights of Russian speakers in the separatist east.
"By and large, Vladimir Putin supported Petro Poroshenko's decision to implement the peace plan," the Kremlin said after the three-way talks.
"It was stressed that the intentions voiced by the head of the Ukrainian state should be reinforced by a real ceasefire," Putin's office added.
"The need to immediately start negotiations between Kiev authorities and representatives of the protesting regions was underscored," the Kremlin said of the phone call.
All three leaders reiterated "their readiness to further facilitate the normalisation of the situation in Ukraine," it added.
Speaking to reporters earlier Sunday, Putin said that the military operation in Ukraine was continuing and pointed to artillery fire in Ukraine overnight despite Poroshenko's announcement of the week-long ceasefire on Friday.
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