Ukraine Pushes Offensive as Russia Says Rebels Seek Talks
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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko dismissed Russia’s claim that rebels want peace talks as he pressed on with an offensive to regain territory near the frontier, where skirmishes have left hundreds dead.
Poroshenko told French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a joint phone call yesterday that Ukraine is ready for dialogue with pro-Russian separatists and international observers but “the other side” has shown no willingness, according to his website. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier the militias in eastern Ukraine are ready for talks, but “ultimatums and pre-conditions” must not stand in the way of peace efforts.