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Russian conditions are unacceptable: Ukraine president

Poroshenko spoke to journalists during a break in the four-way marathon talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin

Petro Poroshenko

IANS Minsk

The conditions put forth by Russia in the ongoing negotiations over the conflict in Ukraine are "unacceptable", said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Belarus Thursday.

Poroshenko spoke to journalists during a break in the four-way marathon talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, BBC reported.

After about 14 hours of overnight talks, Poroshenko said there was "no good news yet".

He said Russia had set "conditions that I consider unacceptable". He declined to elaborate but added that there was "always hope" as talks were continuing.

The leaders of France and Germany attended the four-way meeting, which began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning.

 

They were set to focus on securing a ceasefire, withdrawal of heavy weapons and creating a demilitarised zone.

Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting in the east of Ukraine.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are leading the peace initiative in Minsk.

Russia has been accused of arming and reinforcing pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine -- a claim it denies.

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First Published: Feb 12 2015 | 2:46 PM IST

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