A ceasefire was agreed in Donetsk until June 27

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) has committed to cease hostilities in response to the Ukrainian side's cease-fire, said DNR Prime Minister Aleksandar Borodaj today after negotiations in Donetsk in which representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE and the self-proclaimed DNR and Luhansk People's Party took part. Republic (LNR), reported by Russian agencies.

"We commit ourselves to cease fire by June 27 in response to the ceasefire by Kyiv," Borodaj said.

According to him, in the event of a ceasefire, "we can come to an agreement and move on to consultations on conducting negotiations on a peaceful resolution of the conflict".

"The movement of the army on the territory of the republics is also suspended, as well as the use of weapons - a regime of silence," said Boroday, expressing hope that Russia and the OSCE would follow the regime.

The EU calls on Russia to respect the peace plan

The heads of diplomacy of 28 EU member states decided to send police experts to Kyiv and once again called on Russia to support the peace plan for Ukraine.

The Ministerial Council agreed to send a mission within the framework of the common defense and security policy to help Ukraine reform the security sector, including the police force," the conclusions of today's meeting in Luxembourg state.

It is stated that this mission, whose structure and mandate have not yet been precisely defined, could start working at the end of summer.

At the same time, the ministers once again called on Russia to support the peace plan of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and take concrete steps to calm the conflict in the southeastern part of the country.

"We call on the Russian Federation to stop the constant flow of illegal fighters, weapons and equipment from Russia, to use its influence on the separatists to stop the violence and lay down their arms, to continue the withdrawal of troops from the border and to revoke the authorization of the Parliament for military intervention in Ukraine," the ministers said.

Possible new sanctions against Russia

Otherwise, the EU is ready to expand the package of economic sanctions against Russia, the conclusions say.

The Council of Ministers underlined that it will not recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea and introduced a ban on the sale of goods from that peninsula on the European market.

The conclusions express serious concern over frequent drastic violations of human rights in the southeast of Ukraine, which include murders, beatings and kidnappings of civilians, and separatists there are called on to release the members of the OSCE monitoring mission they are holding in custody.

The ministers announced from the session, which was attended in one part by the Minister of the Interior of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, that the EU will sign the last part of the agreement on economic cooperation with Ukraine on Friday in Brussels.

British Foreign Minister William Hague warned Russia today that the European Union is ready to impose new sanctions on it due to the crisis in Ukraine if necessary.

Haig said this ahead of the meeting of EU member states' diplomats in Luxembourg, which is expected to discuss the possibility of expanding sanctions against Moscow.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin should not doubt that we in the EU are ready to take these measures," Hague told reporters, as reported by Reuters. "A lot of work has been invested in the preparation of extended sanctions against Russia".

Later this week, EU leaders will hold a summit in Brussels where they could decide on sanctions.

"It will be decided on Friday. I think that by Friday we will be able to see how Russia reacts to the peace plan" Poroshenko, Haig said.

EU: Russia should respect the peace plan

Several EU foreign ministers today appealed to Russia to accept the peace plan of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, warning that otherwise new sanctions could be imposed on Moscow.

"There is no doubt that this week is crucial for Ukraine," he said

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is due to go to Kiev tonight.

Swedish Minister Karl Bilt said the plan was "constructive progress" and deserved full support.

Today's meeting in Luxembourg will be attended by the new Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pavlo Klimkin, who will present Poroshenko's peace plan.

Klimkin emphasized that it is of great importance to fully respect Poroshenko's plan, including the control of the border with Russia.

Petro Poroshenko on Friday ordered a unilateral ceasefire and promised amnesty for anyone who lays down their arms. A few hours later, three soldiers were wounded in an attack on their positions in the Donetsk regions, the Ukrainian border service said.

Poroshenko: Merkel's involvement is key to solving the crisis

Today, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko appealed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to help resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

"The involvement of Angela Merkel and other world officials is key to resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine," Poroshenko said after a telephone conversation with the German chancellor.

During yesterday's phone conversation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, assessed that respect for the ceasefire is necessary in order to start a dialogue between the Ukrainian authorities and the pro-Russian rebels in the east of Ukraine.

On Friday, Petro Poroshenko ordered a unilateral ceasefire and promised amnesty for all who lay down their arms

On Friday, Petro Poroshenko ordered a unilateral ceasefire and promised amnesty for all who lay down their arms.

Just a few hours later, three soldiers were wounded in an attack on their positions in the Donetsk regions, the Ukrainian border service said.

The new Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin, will present Petro Porashenko's peace plan at today's meeting in Luxembourg, attended by EU foreign ministers.

Gazprom: Stable supplies of Russian gas to Europe

Russian gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine are stable, despite the price dispute between Moscow and Kiev, the Russian gas company Gazprom announced today.

"Gas transit through Ukraine flows according to the agreed parameters, and the volume of gas delivered in the past 24 hours was 205 million cubic meters," said Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov, as reported by Reuters.

As the British agency reminds, Gazprom suspended gas supplies to Ukraine last Sunday due to an unpaid gas debt.

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