Ukraine's Poroshenko says ready for ceasefire if conditions met

KIEV (REUTERS) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on the telephone on Thursday, saying he was ready to engage in a ceasefire with pro-Russian rebels if certain conditions were met, his office said.

"Poroshenko emphasized he was ready to return to a ceasefire as soon as confirmation was received that it is being fulfilled in a bilateral format as well as the release of hostages and the establishment of control over the border through OSCE monitoring," a statement on his website said.

Mr Poroshenko called off a unilateral ceasefire early on Tuesday after numerous attacks by the separatists on Ukrainian forces. He accuses Russia of allowing fighters and weapons to enter Ukraine through their common border.

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