From our newsroom:
A tense summit in Minsk between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France dragged on into the early hours of February 12 as they wrangled over a plan to end 10 months of fighting in eastern Ukraine.
The meeting in the Belarusian capital is being attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande.
Before the four-way talks began, Poroshenko was quoted as saying they were the last chance to end the conflict.
According to the Interfax news agency, he said: "Either there is deescalation, a cease-fire, and a withdrawal of heavy weapons, or the situation gets out of control."
By 0300 local time (0100 Prague time) the talks had entered their their eight hour and the four leaders remained shut in a meeting room in Minsk's presidential palace without their advisors.
Ukrainian presidential aide Valeriy Chaly said in a Facebook post that the talks could continue for at least another five to six hours.
Chaly said, "we should not leave here without an agreement on an unconditional cease-fire. There's a battle of nerves under way."
Earlier, a senior Ukrainian diplomatic source told French news agency AFP that the talks were making "progress" but also proving "very hard."
Another source close to the discussions had said the leaders hoped to sign a joint statement calling for the fulfilment of an earlier failed peace plan signed by Kyiv and the rebels in September, also in Minsk.
Live video feeds from Minsk show journalists crowding together in anticipation of something. It appears an announcement of some sort may be looming.
Reuters cites a Russian diplomatic source as saying there is a 70-percent chance that an agreement aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis would be reached by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, German, and France currently meeting in Minsk.
Reuters also cites Ukraine’s army as saying that 19 of its soldiers were killed in attacks by pro-Russian separatists near the railway town of Debaltseve. A Ukrainian military spokesman earlier on February 11 put the death toll at 17.
As Ukraine peace talks continue overnight in Minsk, here's a look at key sticking points in a possible deal, per the AP:
-- Drawing a new line of division: Ukraine wants the same one that was agreed upon in September, while Russia wants a new line that reflects rebels' significant territorial gains since then.
-- Withdrawing Russian troops and equipment from eastern Ukraine: Russia says it does not have any troops and military hardware in the east, a stance scoffed at by Ukraine and NATO.
-- Securing the Ukraine-Russian border: Ukraine wants to get control back over its border with Russia to stem the flow of Russian fighters and weapons, while Russia says that's up to the rebels.
-- Giving the separatists more autonomy: Ukraine says it may offer them broad rights on the basis of the Ukrainian law, but Russia wants guarantees. Russia also wants Ukraine to end its financial blockade of the east.