Pro-Kyiv military blogger Dmitry Tymchuk says regular Russian troops remain in the Telmanovo-Starobeshovo area and Russian army units have been "thrown at Debalcevo and Donetsk," our Ukrainian Service reports.
Our newsroom wrap-up of Poroshenko's visit, before he announced the $1 billion in U.S. guarantees (see Poroshenko's tweet, below):
U.S. President Barack Obama has met with visiting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at the White House.
Poroshenko went into the meeting hoping to convince the U.S. president to provide weapons to Ukrainian government forces battling pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Before the September 18 meeting with President Obama, Poroshenko noted the United States has been giving Ukraine non-lethal supplies and equipment but Poroshenko said, "Blankets and night visions goggles are important, but one cannot win a war with a blanket."
However, it seems Poroshenko went away disappointed as there was no word after his meeting with Obama that the United States was prepared to help arm Ukraine's military.
Speaking in the Oval Office after the two presidents held their meeting, Obama condemned what he called "Russian aggression, first in Crimea, and most recently in portions of eastern Ukraine."
Obama praised Poroshenko for the leadership the Ukrainian president, saying that leadership has "been critical at a very important time in Ukraine's history."
The U.S. president said Russia's moves in Ukraine were designed to "undermine" critical reforms Poroshenko has been trying to push through in Ukraine, including moves for an "inclusive" government that gave greater autonomy to regions in eastern Ukraine.
Obama said the United States would continue to help Ukraine find a diplomatic solution to the crisis the country faces.
Poroshenko thanked Obama for the "enormous" support the United States has shown Ukraine.
Poroshenko said he and Obama discussed the question of energy and that a U.S. "team" would be in Ukraine next week to review Ukraine's energy situation and needs with winter coming soon.
Poroshenko concluded his comments by saying his top priority and the greatest priority for his nation and its people was peace.
"The only way we can deescalate the situation in the east of my country is the peace process and the peace plan, which included the cease-fire, inclusive dialogue inside of Ukraine, withdrawing Russian troops from my territory, closing the border for troops, for weapons and ammunition, releasing immediately all the hostages, and that is what the whole is waiting for from us," Poroshenko said.
Based on Reuters, AP, and live event
We are ending the Ukraine live blog for today. Please check RFE/RL's home page for all the latest news developments overnight. And return here in the morning for more live blogging of the unfolding crisis in Ukraine.
If you missed it, watch Poroshenko's entire speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress here: