MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday joined the leaders of Germany and France in calling on Ukraine to extend its temporary ceasefire with pro-Kremlin militias beyond Monday, the Kremlin said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande joined Mr Putin in asking Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko to extend the truce "for a longer period", the Kremlin said in a statement issued after a four-way teleconference lasting more than two hours.

Mr Hollande and Dr Merkel spoke for "over two hours" with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on Sunday, the Elysee said, as the latest ceasefire deadline in Ukraine was looming.

During the telephone exchange with Mr Putin and Mr Poroshenko, the leaders discussed "the importance of making new concrete advances in the security situation on the ground, prolonging the ceasefire and putting in place the peace plan" presented by Ukraine, the French President said in a statement.