News Digest

Ukraine ceasefire: Kiev working toward truce, rebels deny deal

The office of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are in agreement on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, but the statement was ambiguous and a top rebel figure said no ceasefire was possible without Ukraine withdrawing its forces. Poroshenko’s office issued a brief statement that a “mutual understanding was reached regarding the steps that will contribute to the establishment of peace,” but it gave no details. There have been previous statements of agreements on steps for peace, but the conflict has only intensified. Ukraine and Western countries claim Russia has sent troops into Ukraine to back the separatists, but Moscow rejects those allegations.

The heads of state exchanged opinions about what needs to be done first in order to bring an end to the bloodletting in the southeast of the country as soon as possible.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin

News of the ceasefire agreement comes as Russia announced it was to hold major military exercises in September of the forces responsible for its long-range nuclear capability. The drills will involve more than 4,000 servicemen and 400 technical units. Meanwhile, world leaders have begun arriving in the UK ahead of a two-day NATO summit in Wales, at which the Ukraine crisis will be at the top of the agenda.