Ukraine Rebuffs Rebels’ Cease-Fire Call; Sanctions Mulled

Ukraine’s military demanded that pro-Russian rebels surrender and dismissed their offer of a cease-fire as lawmakers prepared to consider sanctions that may curb Russian shipments of natural gas to Europe.

“If there’s an initiative, it should be implemented by practical means, not only with words -- by raising white flags and putting down weapons,” Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the country’s military, told reporters yesterday in Kiev. “In that case, no one will shoot at them.”