German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a media conference at the end of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015. European Union leaders on Thursday said the full respect of the planned weekend cease-fire in eastern Ukraine will be essential before there could be a change in the sanctions regime imposed on Moscow. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) (The Associated Press)
BERLIN – The German government says the German and French leaders have spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and have stressed that a planned cease-fire in Ukraine must be adhered to fully by all involved.
The government said in a statement late Saturday that Putin pointed to commitments made by the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. It said Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande agreed to consult by phone Sunday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on the implementation of the cease-fire.
Under a peace deal reached Thursday with German and French mediation, the warring sides are to cease firing at midnight (2200 GMT, 5 p.m. EST). Earlier Saturday, Merkel and Hollande spoke with Poroshenko, who according to the statement underlined Kiev's will to stick to the truce.
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