Russia and Ukraine pledge to resume the Minsk agreement.

(Baonghean.vn) - Leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held telephone conversations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on May 24 to discuss preparations for elections in eastern Ukraine, where a pro-Russian uprising is underway.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at a conference in Kyiv in January. Photo: Reuters.

The Minsk peace agreement, brokered by Berlin and Paris, has stalled since Moscow and Kyiv failed to agree on several conditions, including Kyiv restoring control over the entire border region with Russia and both sides withdrawing all heavy weapons from the conflict zone.

The election is seen as a crucial step in ending the conflict that has killed more than 9,000 people since April 2014.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on May 24: "The focus of the discussions revolved around questions of security and preparations for local elections in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine."

Mr. Seibert added, "The parties involved in the discussions agreed to strengthen cooperation in both regions to quickly achieve progress."

Previously, the EU imposed sanctions on Russia after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, and subsequently, pro-Russian rebels demanded secession and fought against Ukrainian government forces in the east of the country. Russia later denied Western accusations of supplying equipment and troops to the rebels.

In addition to the Minsk Agreement, Germany and France have repeatedly urged Russia and Ukraine to resolve their conflicts, a campaign known as the Normandy Format.

Thanh Hien

(According to Reuters)