E-Paper
Russian, German, French, Ukrainian presidents talk Ukraine on the phone
The presidents of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine held a joint phone call on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The presidents of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine held a joint phone call on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for a temporary ceasefire agreed between Kiev and some separatist rebel groups fighting in eastern Ukraine to be extended beyond Friday.
Germany said the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France have agreed that a mechanism needs to be set up to oversee a cease-fire in Ukraine and monitor the securing of its border with Russia.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert said the four leaders also agreed in a telephone call Wednesday that hostages held in eastern Ukraine should be freed without delay.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have been held in Ukraine for weeks.
Seibert didn't say how a cease-fire oversight mechanism might work but said talks between Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE should continue.
(With inputs from Reuters and AP)
