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| Ukraine crisis: Russia upbeat on Hollande and Merkel talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The leaders of Russia, France and Germany have held "constructive" talks on efforts to end the conflict in east Ukraine, a Kremlin spokesman says. | |
| Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin, France's Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met for more than five hours. | |
| Mr Hollande and Mrs Merkel had brought to Moscow a peace proposal whose details have not been released. | |
| Russia is accused of arming pro-Russian separatists - a claim it denies. | Russia is accused of arming pro-Russian separatists - a claim it denies. |
| The Kremlin also rejects claims by Ukraine and the West that its regular troops are fighting alongside the rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. | The Kremlin also rejects claims by Ukraine and the West that its regular troops are fighting alongside the rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. |
| Clashes have left nearly 5,400 people dead since April, the UN says. | Clashes have left nearly 5,400 people dead since April, the UN says. |
| A September ceasefire, signed in Minsk in Belarus, has failed to stop the violence. Since then the rebels have seized more ground, raising alarm in Kiev and among Ukraine's backers. | A September ceasefire, signed in Minsk in Belarus, has failed to stop the violence. Since then the rebels have seized more ground, raising alarm in Kiev and among Ukraine's backers. |
| Analysis: David Stern, BBC News, Kiev | Analysis: David Stern, BBC News, Kiev |
| This may not be the last attempt to try to find a peaceful solution to the hostilities in eastern Ukraine, but there is a sense that the door is closing fast. | This may not be the last attempt to try to find a peaceful solution to the hostilities in eastern Ukraine, but there is a sense that the door is closing fast. |
| On Thursday German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the West must see if there was still a chance to reach a settlement, before there was "complete loss of control" over the conflict. France's President Francois Hollande has said diplomacy could not "go on indefinitely." | On Thursday German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the West must see if there was still a chance to reach a settlement, before there was "complete loss of control" over the conflict. France's President Francois Hollande has said diplomacy could not "go on indefinitely." |
| That Angela Merkel is travelling to Moscow can be seen as a positive sign - the German chancellor said she wouldn't meet Vladimir Putin without the concrete prospect of progress. | That Angela Merkel is travelling to Moscow can be seen as a positive sign - the German chancellor said she wouldn't meet Vladimir Putin without the concrete prospect of progress. |
| But the roadblocks to a final peace - or even a lasting ceasefire - are formidable and many. Not least is the low level of trust among Ukrainian and Western officials for any promises coming from the Kremlin. | But the roadblocks to a final peace - or even a lasting ceasefire - are formidable and many. Not least is the low level of trust among Ukrainian and Western officials for any promises coming from the Kremlin. |
| Mr Putin may be sincere in his peace proposals; or, many in Kiev and other capitals feel, he may just be buying time. | Mr Putin may be sincere in his peace proposals; or, many in Kiev and other capitals feel, he may just be buying time. |
| Why is east Ukraine hit by conflict? | Why is east Ukraine hit by conflict? |
| Ukraine 'can't stop Russian armour' | Ukraine 'can't stop Russian armour' |
| The peace proposal Mr Hollande and Mrs Merkel took to Moscow on Friday was crafted with the Ukrainian government on Thursday. | |
| After the two leaders' discussions with President Putin, French officials told AFP news agency they had been "constructive and substantial". | |
| Russia's Dmitry Peskov said work was continuing on a joint document. Further talks will be held by phone on Sunday, he added. | |
| Earlier, Mr Hollande said the aim was not just a ceasefire but a "comprehensive agreement" - although Mrs Merkel said it was "totally open" whether that could be achieved. | |
| Major questions any plan would have to address include the route of any new ceasefire line - given the rebel advances of recent weeks - how to enforce it, and the future status of the conflict zone, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow. | |
| Moscow is still denying any direct role in the conflict, while Kiev insists above all that Ukraine must remain united, our correspondent says. | |
| Meanwhile US Vice-President Joe Biden accused Russia of "continuing to escalate the conflict" and "ignoring every agreement". | Meanwhile US Vice-President Joe Biden accused Russia of "continuing to escalate the conflict" and "ignoring every agreement". |
| He was speaking in Brussels, where he is meeting top EU officials. | He was speaking in Brussels, where he is meeting top EU officials. |
| He accused Mr Putin of continuing "to call for new peace plans as his tanks roll through the Ukrainian countryside". | He accused Mr Putin of continuing "to call for new peace plans as his tanks roll through the Ukrainian countryside". |
| He said Russia could "not be allowed to redraw the map of Europe". | He said Russia could "not be allowed to redraw the map of Europe". |
| Washington is considering Ukrainian pleas for better weaponry to fend off the rebels, raising European fears of an escalation in the conflict and spurring the latest peace bid. | |
| Convoys | Convoys |
| Also on Friday, a truce allowed civilians to leave Debaltseve in Donetsk region - a town at the heart of an upsurge in fighting in recent weeks. | |
| On Friday a temporary truce was declared in the town, where Ukrainian forces are fighting to hold it against surrounding rebels. | |
| Convoys of buses travelled there to evacuate civilians who had been forced to shelter underground from the bombing. | |
| They were escorted by monitors from the OSCE security watchdog, reported Reuters news agency. | They were escorted by monitors from the OSCE security watchdog, reported Reuters news agency. |
| Some 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since last April, when the rebels seized a big swathe of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions following Russia's annexation of Crimea. | Some 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since last April, when the rebels seized a big swathe of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions following Russia's annexation of Crimea. |
| Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by events? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by events? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Have your say | Have your say |