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| EU leaders join Ukraine-Russia talks amid new clashes | EU leaders join Ukraine-Russia talks amid new clashes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| EU leaders held talks with the presidents of Ukraine and Russia on Sunday as a truce between government forces and separatists neared its end. | |
| The joint telephone conference, which lasted more than two hours, came after new clashes in the east of the country. | |
| A Ukraine military spokesman says five soldiers were killed in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at the weekend. | A Ukraine military spokesman says five soldiers were killed in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at the weekend. |
| Meanwhile, protesters angered by the ceasefire gathered outside President Poroshenko's offices in Kiev on Sunday. | Meanwhile, protesters angered by the ceasefire gathered outside President Poroshenko's offices in Kiev on Sunday. |
| One demonstrator told Reuters news agency that the temporary truce "didn't bring any results, except deaths of our soldiers". | One demonstrator told Reuters news agency that the temporary truce "didn't bring any results, except deaths of our soldiers". |
| The ceasefire was extended on Friday for three days and is due to end on Monday at 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT). | The ceasefire was extended on Friday for three days and is due to end on Monday at 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT). |
| Some rebel leaders refused to observe the truce and low level attacks have continued over the weekend. | Some rebel leaders refused to observe the truce and low level attacks have continued over the weekend. |
| Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyy said five Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and at least 17 wounded in clashes in the east of Ukraine. | Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyy said five Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and at least 17 wounded in clashes in the east of Ukraine. |
| He also said pro-Russian rebels had seized an air defence unit in Donetsk and captured six soldiers, although this has not been independently verified. | He also said pro-Russian rebels had seized an air defence unit in Donetsk and captured six soldiers, although this has not been independently verified. |
| Soldiers from the self-defence Donbass battalion appealed to Mr Poroshenko on Sunday to allow them to resume fighting once the ceasefire expires. | Soldiers from the self-defence Donbass battalion appealed to Mr Poroshenko on Sunday to allow them to resume fighting once the ceasefire expires. |
| EU pressure | EU pressure |
| President Poroshenko extended the ceasefire in a bid to make some progress on his 15-point peace plan. | President Poroshenko extended the ceasefire in a bid to make some progress on his 15-point peace plan. |
| The plan involves decentralising power and holding early local and parliamentary elections. | The plan involves decentralising power and holding early local and parliamentary elections. |
| The European Union has threatened to impose more sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin unless he puts pressure on pro-Russia rebels to lay down their arms. | The European Union has threatened to impose more sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin unless he puts pressure on pro-Russia rebels to lay down their arms. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande held their second talks in a week with Mr Poroshenko and the Russian leader on Sunday. | |
| The leaders discussed the importance of the ceasefire and the implementation of the peace plan, according to a statement (in French) from President Hollande's office. | |
| Chancellor Merkel warned Russia on Friday the EU was prepared for "drastic measures" if no progress was made on the peace plan. | Chancellor Merkel warned Russia on Friday the EU was prepared for "drastic measures" if no progress was made on the peace plan. |
| Her warning came as Mr Poroshenko signed a landmark EU trade pact - an agreement that triggered the recent crisis. | Her warning came as Mr Poroshenko signed a landmark EU trade pact - an agreement that triggered the recent crisis. |
| The refusal of Mr Poroshenko's predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, to sign the EU deal - under pressure from Russia - led to protests in Kiev and his eventual overthrow this year. | The refusal of Mr Poroshenko's predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, to sign the EU deal - under pressure from Russia - led to protests in Kiev and his eventual overthrow this year. |
| Russia then annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, and separatists in the east declared independence from Ukraine. | Russia then annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, and separatists in the east declared independence from Ukraine. |
| More than 420 people have been killed in fighting between pro-Russia rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, the UN estimates. | More than 420 people have been killed in fighting between pro-Russia rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, the UN estimates. |