LATEST: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urges the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels to heed President Vladimir Putin's calls for a cease-fire.
More from our news desk on Lavrov's comments:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels to heed President Vladimir Putin's call for a cease-fire and an end to their conflict.
Putin outlined a cease-fire plan on September 3 under which separatists would halt offensive operations and government forces would withdraw from positions from which their artillery can hit civilians.
"We hope these calls will be heard, primarily in Kyiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk," Lavrov said at a meeting in Moscow with the head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Ilkka Kanerva.
Luhansk and Donetsk are rebel-held provincial capitals in eastern Ukraine.
Putin said he hoped Ukraine and the separatists would agree on a plan to end their conflict during talks in Minsk on September 5, which will also be attended by representatives of Russia and the OSCE. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS)
David Cameron warns Russia of more sanctions:
British Prime Minister David Cameron says it is unacceptable for Russian troops to be in Ukraine and warned that Western states will step up sanctions against Moscow if it does not change its behavior.
Cameron spoke to BBC Television before a two-day NATO summit in Wales on September 4-5, at which the alliance is expected to show unity against Russia over the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Western governments reject Russia's denials that it has sent troops and weapons into Ukraine to help separatists fighting government forces.
Cameron said, "We need to be absolutely clear that what is happening here is unacceptable, Russian troops on Ukrainian soil."
He said sanctions had already had an effect and added, "What Russia needs to understand is if they continue with this approach in Ukraine, this pressure will be ramped up." (Reuters, BBC)
The badges of Ukraine's volunteer battalions:
NATO's outgoing chief outlines goals for the summit in Wales:
According to yesterday's map of the military situation in the east, Debaltseve looks likely to be cut off:
