The Kremlin stated Wednesday that although Russia “is not party” to the ongoing battles in the Donbass region of Ukraine, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko “coincided significantly” on ways to “settle the conflict” during a morning phone conversation.

BBC News:

Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko says he has agreed with Russian President Putin by phone on a “ceasefire process” for the east.

His office initially reported that a “permanent ceasefire” had been agreed but later revised its statement.

The Kremlin stressed Mr Putin had not agreed to a ceasefire as Russia was not party to the conflict…More than 2,600 civilians and combatants have been killed and more than a million people have fled their homes since fighting erupted in eastern Ukraine in April, when pro-Russian separatists there declared independence.

Russia has denied accusations by the West and the Ukrainian government that it is sending troops and military equipment over the border to support the separatists, who recently gained the upper hand against government forces.

Read more

—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig