Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko yesterday urged President Vladimir Putin to strengthen Russian control over its borders to prevent militants and arms entering Ukraine after violence broke a truce there.
The ceasefire, declared by Mr Poroshenko on June 20th to allow for peace talks with the pro-Russian rebels, is due to expire today, a deadline also set by EU leaders considering new sanctions against Russia.
The statement came after a four-way telephone conversation among the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, French president François Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel, said a statement from Poroshenko’s office.
The four leaders agreed to speak again today, it added.
Ukraine’s National Guard said yesterday rebels had used tanks and mortar shells to fire on a checkpoint near the separatist stronghold of Slovyansk, about 100km from the border with Russia.
“There were no casualties among the military personnel there,” its statement said. A spokesman for the operation said five soldiers had been killed in the past few days by rebel violence.
Interfax news agency cited rebels as saying Ukrainian forces had shelled around Slaviansk, hitting a marketplace and an apartment building, causing injuries.– (Reuters)