Ukraine's Poroshenko offers unilateral ceasefire to Putin

After a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s Poroshenko has set out proposals for a peace plan for eastern Ukraine.

16:53 18 June 2014

Following a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko, Poroshenko has set out proposals for a peace plan that he said will be implemented “shortly.” 

 

Of the potential solution to the eastern Ukraine crisis, Poroshenko said: "The peace plan begins with my order for a unilateral ceasefire.”

 

"Immediately after that, we must receive support for the presidential peace plan from all sides involved. This should happen very shortly."

 

Currently, there are pro-Russian rebels who are battling government forces near the town of Schastya where more than 30 gunmen were killed and wounded.  

 

Meanwhile, UN human rights investigators said that the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions has deteriorated significantly over the past month.

 

On the other hand, the Kremlin has confirmed that the two leaders have “touched upon” the issue of a possible ceasefire during their talks on Tuesday.  

 

However, a spokesman for Donetsk People’s Republic said that they rejected the proposal for the rebels to lay down their arms.