Russia backs ceasefire but not party to agreement: Kremlin

Putin and Poroshenko earlier in the day agreed to a ceasefire

Russian and Ukrainian leaders agreed on Wednesday on steps needed for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow cannot be party to any agreement as it is not involved in the conflict, a Kremlin spokesman said.

"(Vladimir) Putin and (Petro) Poroshenko really did discuss steps which would lead to a ceasefire between rebels and Ukrainian troops," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the RIA-Novosti news agency, after Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko announced he and Vladimir Putin had agreed to a permanent truce.

"But in principle Russia cannot agree on a ceasefire as it is not a participant in the conflict.