Leaders agree on Ukrainian peace talks this week

Leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany have reached an agreement to call another round of Ukraine peace talks this week.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Vladimir Putin of Russia, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached the deal during a conference call today.
Poroshenko's office said the negotiations will be held in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Wednesday and Friday. Previous rounds of talks in September involving representatives of Ukraine, Russia, pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe produced a ceasefire deal, which has often been violated. Recent peace efforts have helped sharply reduce hostilities, and the conflicting parties are now discussing the pullout of heavy weapons.

Kazakhstan's president says the conflict in eastern Ukraine is "nonsense" and is calling on Russia and Ukraine to find a way to resolve it.
Nursultan Nazarbayev's comments, after a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, could carry weight because Kazakhstan is part of a Russia-dominated trade bloc that Moscow sees as a counterweight to the European Union.
Nazarbayev did not single out one side as being in fault in the conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia separatists that has killed around 4,700 people. Moscow denies allegations that it is providing soldiers and equipment for the rebels.
"I call on Russia and Ukraine to think about finding compromise," he said, according to the Interfax news agency. "This situation is nonsense and should not be taking place.