Negotiators at the Ukraine peace talks have vowed to make fresh efforts to enforce a shaky cease-fire in eastern Ukraine.
Martin Sajdik, the envoy for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), made the comment on January 13.
He spoke in Minsk after a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, which is negotiating a settlement to the conflict that has killed more than 9,000 people since April 2014.
Sajdik said the parties agreed to try again to fully halt fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia separatists and discussed new efforts to exchange war prisoners.
Taking part in the Minsk talks was Boris Gryzlov, a former speaker of the Russian parliament who has been named a Russian envoy.
Gryzlov, a member of Russia's presidential Security Council, is seen as more influential than his predecessor, Mikhail Zurabov.
His appointment has been interpreted by some analysts as a sign the Kremlin wants to intensify the talks.