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Hollande Says Russia And Rebels Need To Be Pressured To Respect Truce


French President Francois Hollande (left) with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Paris last week.
French President Francois Hollande (left) with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Paris last week.

French President Francois Hollande has said that pressure needed to be applied on Russia and pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine to respect a cease-fire he helped broker in February.

"What is clear is that the ceasefire is not entirely respected," Hollande told reporters during an Eastern Partnership summit in Riga on May 22.

The French leader said the situation was still very worrying in certain Ukrainian towns.

"And that is why we must act and continue to put pressure and particularly on the east of Ukraine and on Russia so that they fully respect the Minsk accord," he said.

Russia denies it is providing troops or arms to pro-Russian rebels who launched a separatist uprising in April of last year.

More than 6,100 people have died since then.

Based on reporting by Reuters

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