Ukraine ceasefire deal 'is not dead': France

The Ukraine ceasefire deal "is not dead" despite pro-Russian rebels capturing a key town, France said today, ahead of a call between the German, Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
President Francois Hollande will speak on the phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko today evening, said French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll.
He said France would do everything to keep alive the Minsk II ceasefire agreement signed last week, despite the capture of the key strategic town of Debaltseve by Russian-backed rebels.
"We will continue, we know we have some problems, we know that not everything has been settled," said Le Foll.

"But between the situation just before the Minsk agreement and the situation now... There has been progress."
Ukrainian troops pulled out of Debaltseve after it was stormed by rebels in what the EU said was a "clear violation" of an internationally-backed truce signed last week.

Poroshenko said today that 80 per cent of the thousands of soldiers in the strategic railway hub had withdrawn.
Western countries have blamed the persistent violence on Russia.
"The actions by the Russia-backed separatists in Debaltseve are a clear violation of the ceasefire," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.