Ukraine and pro-Russia rebels 'sign ceasefire deal'
Ukraine and pro-Russia rebels sign ceasefire deal
(35 minutes later)
The Ukrainian government and pro-Russia rebels meeting in Minsk have signed a preliminary protocol to start a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says.
The Ukrainian government and pro-Russia rebels have signed a truce deal to end almost five months of fighting.
He said that the truce would start at 15:00 GMT. The announcement came after reports of further clashes in the east.
The two sides, meeting in the Belarusian capital Minsk, agreed to stop firing at 15:00 GMT.
Western countries are meanwhile working on further sanctions against Russia.
President Petro Poroshenko said he would do "everything possible" to end the bloodshed. The rebels said the truce had not changed their policy of advocating separation from Ukraine.
The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this.
More than 2,600 people have died since rebels stormed several eastern cities.
The talks in Minsk, capital of Belarus, involve former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Russian ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov and leaders of the self-proclaimed "people's republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk.
The move prompted a military operation by Ukrainian forces to retake the cities.
They come after Russian President Vladimir Putin put forward a seven-point peace plan.
The rebels, who had largely been pushed back towards their strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, made new advances in recent days.
The plan includes a halt to "active offensive operations" by the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia rebels, international ceasefire monitoring, unconditional prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid corridors.
Fighting was continuing on Friday around Mariupol, a coastal city about 110km (70 miles) south of Donetsk.
Shelling
The BBC's Fergal Keane in Mariupol tweeted that pro-Russia forces seemed to be hitting Ukrainian positions 4km outside the city.
As the peace talks in Minsk began, fighting in eastern Ukraine continued.
Ukrainian government forces and volunteers are trying to hold on to Mariupol on the Azov Sea. The BBC's Fergal Keane, in Mariupol, tweeted that pro-Russia forces seemed to be hitting Ukrainian positions some 4km (2.5 miles) outside the city.
Large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian artillery fired back, he says. Ukrainian fighter jets also hit rebel positions.
Large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian artillery fired back, he says. Ukrainian fighter jets also hit rebel positions.
The Minsk peace talks coincided with Nato's summit in Wales, where leaders agreed on a new "spearhead" military force, able to deploy to trouble spots in a matter of days.
The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine - allegations denied by Russia.
The decision came amid growing Nato concern at the Ukraine crisis - in particular Russia's role - and the rise of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
