Foreign ministers from Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine have called for an end to the renewed heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine following tough talks in Berlin. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters all participants agreed to push ahead with the withdrawal of heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine.
The talks took place amid a sharp spike in hostilities in eastern Ukraine over the weekend. On Monday one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six were wounded in rebel-held territories. They also agreed to continue with an exchange of prisoners in the conflict region and to set up four working groups to deal with the humanitarian, economic and security policy issues in east Ukraine. Steinmeier stressed, however, that the Minsk accord went beyond the ceasefire agreement and must pave the way towards elections in the rebel-held territories.