Russia, France, Germany, Ukraine urge extension of east Ukraine truce - Kremlin
MOSCOW. June 25 (Interfax) - The leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine, in a conference call on Wednesday, called for extending a current ceasefire between government forces and militias in eastern Ukraine that expires on Thursday, the Kremlin said.
The presidents of Russia, France and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Francois Hollande and Petro Poroshenko, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had "detailed exchanges of opinions on the crisis situation in Ukraine," the Russian president's office said. "The need was stressed to extend the truce and create conditions for proper control of the ceasefire regime."
"The importance was pointed out of the release of prisoners by the parties to the conflict," the office said.
Putin "advocated extending the ceasefire and organizing a sustained negotiation process," it said.
"Confidence was expressed that the decision of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia to revoke the resolution of March 1, 2014, on the possibility of use of Russian armed forces on Ukrainian territory would also help de-escalate the situation," the Kremlin said.
The press service of the French president reported that the four leaders had a lengthy conversation on Wednesday afternoon.
Hollande and Merkel "encouraged the Russian and Ukrainian presidents to work together to put in place a ceasefire verification mechanism with the support of the OSCE and an effective control of the Russian-Ukrainian border," the statement reads.
The two European leaders "demanded that detained people be freed as soon as possible," the press service said.
Hollande and Merkel also "noted the first steps on behalf of Russian authorities on way to de-escalation in eastern Ukraine, notably the decision made today by the Russian Federation Council to annul its authorization given this March to the Russian president to resort to force," the statement reads.
"They expressed their support to President Poroshenko to implement as soon as possible the peace plan that he had presented," it reads.