Greek EU Presidency urges to implement Geneva agreement on Ukraine.

The Greek Presidency of the European Union (EU) on Friday welcomes the Geneva agreement on Ukraine reached by key parties in the four-way talks and urged implementation.

"The points agreed on in Geneva are an important first step toward de-escalating the situation and shaping the conditions for overcoming the crisis in Ukraine," said Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos in a statement:

Ukraine separatist leader rejects Geneva deal. -"Lavrov did not sign anything for us, he signed on behalf of the Russian Federation"

Leader of pro-Russian armed groups occupying buildings in eastern Ukraine says he will press ahead with May referendum...

The self-declared leader of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, Denis Pushilin, has said that he does not consider his men to be bound by an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to disarm and vacate occupied buildings.
" Lavrov did not sign anything for us, he signed on behalf of the Russian Federation," Pushilin, head of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, told journalists in Donetsk on Friday.

Obama Rules Out Military Option in Ukraine. -- Additional measures could make the situation worse.

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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has expressed hope that a plan to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine, reached Thursday in Geneva, will lead to restoration of peace and security for all citizens of Ukraine. Obama told reporters in Washington that if Russia fails to take steps to defuse the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the United States and Europe will respond with tough measures, but he ruled out a military intervention.

Four-party meeting approves document on deescalation of tensions in Ukraine

The Geneva statement adopted at a four-party meeting on Ukraine on Thursday, April 17, calls for a national dialogue in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the talks.

“It calls for an immediate commencement of a broad national dialogue which must be inclusive, transparent and accountable,” he said.

Lavrov stressed that measures to disarm illegal armed groups and free seized buildings would apply to all regions of Ukraine without exception.