Separatists in Ukraine Agree Ceasefire Until June 27

The separatist leaders of the two main areas of eastern Ukraine in conflict with the Government of Kiev agreed on a cease-fire until June 27, said Monday Boroday Alexander, leader of one of insurgent factions.

The truce will run parallel to a ceasefire Ukrainian military said Friday that President Petro Poroshenko, as part of a peace plan to end the separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, predominantly Russian-speaking.

The announcement of the separatists, after talks that also involved a senior diplomat and a former Russian president came after a day of diplomatic negotiations in which Moscow urged the West to use its influence to defuse the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Speaking after meeting with a "contact group" that included a former Ukrainian president, sent from Moscow to Kiev and a representative of the OSCE security supervisor, Boroday said:

"The consultation ended with the authorities of the republics of Luhansk and Donetsk agreeing to maintain a ceasefire on their part (...) until the 27th."

An unusual absence of armed incidents during the Monday, which made him the first peaceful day in the east of the country after weeks of violence, seemed to indicate that the rebels had begun to respect the truce prior to the announcement.

Volodymyr Chepovy, official of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine, said no weapons incidents between 9 and 17 local time were recorded.

"There were attempts to seize administrative buildings or military points," he said.

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who participated in the talks, said that the agreement on a ceasefire two way-that governed until 10 am on June 27, meant that "one of the key issues had been resolved ".

The declaration of a cease-fire after rebel negotiations involving a Russian representative seemed to be good news for the West, as a sign that Moscow could be ready to help design an agreement in this troubled Ukraine.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

Andriy Parubiy, head of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine, said those who participated in Monday's talks had also agreed that there should be co-operation to free the hostages.

Earlier, the European Union, which Ukraine will sign on Friday an association and a trade agreement, supported the peace initiative Poroshenko after hearing a report from his new foreign minister, and urged Russia to use its influence on the separatists to stop violence.

"The EU calls on all parties to immediately agree and respect a ceasefire in order to stabilize the security situation," the bloc said in a statement in Luxembourg.

While Poroshenko announced its ceasefire last Friday Kiev reported a series of armed attacks by the rebel army and the Ukrainian border posts during the weekend.

Dozens of people have been killed and injured in Ukraine since rebellion erupted in this industrial country in April after the overthrow of the Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovich, and subsequent annexation to Russia in the Crimea. 

(Additional reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel in Moscow, Spanish Editing by Jill Serjeant)