Presidents Putin and Poroshenko have agreed on a permanent ceasefire in the Donbass area of east Ukraine, the Ukrainian leader’s press office reports following a phone conversation between the two.
“The phone call resulted in an agreement on a permanent ceasefire in Donbass. An understanding has been reached on the steps to be taken to end the hostilities,” a corresponding message from Poroshenko’s office said.
Presidents Putin and Poroshenko have agreed on a permanent ceasefire in the Donbass area of eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian leader’s press office reports following a phone conversation between the two.
Donetsk authorities say they are willing to engage in a diplomatic settlement with Kiev if it proves its commitment to peace by stopping the shelling.
Dmitry Peskov at the Russian president’s press office said the two leaders “have largely agreed” on the measures to be taken for a swift end to the violence.
The confrontation between the anti-government forces and the Ukrainian military, lasting over four months, has claimed the lives of around 2,500 people, according to UN estimates.
A million people have been displaced the majority of them to Russia.
But the biggest toll was inflicted on the peaceful population in cities like Donetsk and Lugansk, who were left without energy, food, water or connection to the outside world.
While international condemnation was initially aimed at Russia in an attempt to blame it for the escalation, lately the balance has shifted to recognizing the often indiscriminate nature of Ukrainian military shelling of the eastern parts, which used high-powered weaponry forbidden by international law to be used in populated areas.
Human Rights Watch was the latest to condemn such weapons and point to their use as the sole contributing factor to the high death toll in the area.