An agreement to cease fire in eastern Ukraine was reached after the Minsk meeting of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, Mediafax reported on its website, quoted by IPN. “I think we reached an important agreement. We agreed the main issues and a ceasefire starting with February 15, 00.00,” Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said on February 12.

A compromise decision was taken concerning a demilitarized area on the frontline, which was the key obstacle in the negotiations. Vladimir Putin said the Ukrainian forces will pull out the heavy weapons beyond the frontline. The separatists will also withdraw beyond the frontline set in September, when the previous ceasefire was agreed. “The signed accord contains the points of the ceasefire agreement reached last year, including concerning the political reform in Ukraine so as to ensure a special status for the separatist regions and the settlement of the situation on the border,” he stated.

The President of France Francois Hollande said in Minsk that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and he will demand that the European Union should state their support for this accord when the European Council convenes on Thursday.