Unconfirmed reports of fighting outside Luhansk
Barring any major developments that ends our live blogging for today.
From our news desk:
Citing French diplomatic sources, reports say the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany are to meet in Berlin on July 2 to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.
The news comes after the Ukrainian government forces resumed their assault on pro-Russian separatists in the east after a 10-day truce failed to resolve the crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko "took upon himself the responsibility for unleashing battle actions in Ukraine."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Poroshenko's decision not to extend the cease-fire started “a new cycle of bloodshed with consequences unpredictable for the Ukrainian state.”
The Foreign Ministry said Lavrov made the comments during a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
From our news desk:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Poroshenko's decision not to extend the truce started “a new cycle of bloodshed with consequences unpredictable for the Ukrainian state.”
The Foreign Ministry said Lavrov made the comments during a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
It said Kerry gave assurance on Washington's desire to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict but "acknowledged differences in the approaches on how to achieve this."