Ukraine talks end without a deal

The latest round of talks on the Ukraine crisis ended Saturday without an agreement, in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, Xinhua reported.

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics in eastern Ukraine, Denis Pushilin and Vladislav Deinego; Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov, and the special delegate of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Heidi Tagliavini were present at the negotiations of the "contact group".

"Today's consultations under the plan for the implementation of the Minsk agreements have been aborted due to the absence of Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky (leaders of the two self-proclaimed republics), ultimatums from their representatives..., their refusal to discuss the plan of measures for an immediate ceasefire, and the withdrawal of heavy armaments," Kuchma said, according to the Interfax news agency, which was cited by Xinhua in its report.

While declaring their loyalty to the key Minsk agreements signed in September, which called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian fighters and military equipment from Ukraine, representatives of the eastern Ukrainian insurgents said that the status of Kiev's negotiator was insufficient for them to sign a final deal.

Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky reiterated that leaders of their republics would not come to Minsk unless Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko publicly declared a ceasefire and withdrew heavy weapons from the division line.

Kiev's delegate responded that the Ukrainian side would not accept any preconditions.

There was no statement from either the Russian ambassador or the OSCE delegate.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Ukraine Feb 5 as violence flared up in that country, according to a statement from the US state department.

"The secretary's visit will highlight the United States' steadfast support for Ukraine and its people," state department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.