Updated 02:01 (MSK)
BRUSSELS, September 6 (RIA Novosti) - The European Union welcomes Ukraine’s ceasefire agreement reached in Minsk, and hopes it will become the first step toward political settlement of the crisis, the spokesperson of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
"We welcome the agreement on a ceasefire, reached in Minsk today at the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group. The ceasefire agreement must now be respected and fully implemented by all sides," the statement reads.
"We hope that this will be a first step towards a sustainable political solution, based on respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
On Friday, members of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation had a meeting in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, during which they agreed on a ceasefire, exchange of prisoners and humanitarian aid. The ceasefire agreement came into force at 6 p.m. local time (15:00 GMT).
The decision has been welcomed by the United Nations, with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said that the cessation of hostilities “will further allow the UN and other humanitarian actors of the international community to deliver critical humanitarian assistance and other needed support to the impacted areas."
He also commended “the recent discussions between the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia have played a part in today’s breakthrough and strongly encourages those contacts to continue," according to the official UN statement.
Since mid-April the Ukrainian government has been conducting a military operation against independence supporters in eastern Ukraine who refused to acknowledge the new government that came to power after a coup in February. The fighting intensified after Donetsk and Luhansk regions proclaimed independence in May.
Ukraine’s southeastern regions are currently in a state of humanitarian catastrophe, with citizens struggling without water and electricity.
According to UN estimates, fighting has killed over 2,500 people and injured over 6,000.
