KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urged the United Nations on Saturday to label rebels fighting Ukrainian forces in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as belonging to "terrorist organisations".

During a telephone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Poroshenko's press service quoted the leader as saying: "The president of Ukraine urged the U.N. to condemn the actions of terrorists and to recognise the so-called "DNR"(Donetsk People's Republic) and "LNR" (Luhansk People's Republic) as terrorist organisations."