Support The Moscow Times!
Contribute today

Merkel, Hollande Urge Putin to Encourage Rebel Peace Deal in Ukraine

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to France's President Francois Hollande.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Russia's Vladimir Putin on Thursday to encourage separatists in eastern Ukraine to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian authorities, the French president's office said.

Hollande and Merkel stressed in a conversation with the Russian president the importance of implementing a deal reached in Berlin on Wednesday between the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine in order to achieve a bilateral ceasefire, according to the statement from Hollande's office.

"They [Hollande and Merkel] called on the Russian president to support the organization of a meeting of the contact group before July 5 in order to define conditions for the ceasefire," Hollande's office said in the statement.

"To this effect, they asked President Putin to intervene to encourage the separatists to negotiate and find an agreement with the Ukrainian authorities."

Hollande and Merkel are due to hold a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in the coming hours, Hollande's office added.

See also:

France Says Russia, Ukraine Agree to Work on Cease-Fire

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more

Ukraine War

Russian Newspaper Says Correspondent Killed in Ukraine

The attack took place on Friday as the journalist Semyon Eremin and his film crew returned from a reporting trip to the frontline village of Pryiutne,...
1 Min read
Overnight Strikes

Ukrainian Drone Strike Kills Two in Russian Border Region

A residential building and a barn in the village of Poroz were "completely burned down", regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Another building was...
1 Min read
circumstances unclear

U.S. Citizen Killed in Moscow-Held Donetsk – Russian Media

Russell Bentley, 64, was known to have fought with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and had been given Russian nationality.
1 Min read
'nuances'

Russian Officials Face Restrictions on Foreign Trips, Kremlin Confirms

The confirmation comes after a Reuters report said Russia's stricter travel rules were linked to fears of foreign powers gaining access to state secrets...
2 Min read