Poroshenko, Juncker Discuss Minsk Deals, Agree to Meet by End of August

According to spokeswoman for the European Commission, EC President spoke with the President of Ukraine about the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, and agreed to hold a meeting by the end of August, spokeswoman for the European Commission Annika Breidthardt said.

"President Juncker spoke with President Poroshenko this morning <…> to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreement, and they agreed to meet in Brussels before the end of the month," Breidthardt told reporters.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation to suppress militia in the eastern region of Donbas. Over 6,800 people have been killed in the conflict, according to UN data.

In February, the warring sides signed a deal in the Belarusian capital Minsk, stipulating ceasefire, weaponry withdrawal and prisoner swaps, among other points. Both warring parties have continued to blame each other for truce violations.

In June, the United Nations said in a report that human rights abuses continued to be widespread in eastern Ukraine despite the signing of the Minsk reconciliation agreement.