BERLIN

Germany and Poland have expressed concern Thursday for the volatile cease-fire in eastern Ukraine

The foreign ministers from both countries urged the speedy implementation of measures in the cease-fire agreement, which was signed in Minsk in February.  

“Obviously we are both not satisfied yet with the speed of the implementation of the Minsk agreement," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, following his talks with Polish counterpart Grzegorz Schetyna in Berlin. "But we are taking note of the considerable decrease of violence and the considerable decrease in violations compared with the early days of the cease-fire.” 

Steinmeier emphasized the importance of starting the withdrawal of the heavy weapons, as agreed upon in the Minsk agreement, but said that the situation in the region remained fragile.

“The military activities of the separatists backed by Russia in the last 12 months have led to a loss of trust, and therefore the situation is very difficult,” Steinmeier said.

He stressed that the success of the cease-fire depended on daily talks and engagement by the conflict parties, to prevent any new escalation in the region.

Steinmeier said that Germany would host a meeting Friday of high-level diplomats from Ukraine, Russia and France, on the future steps of the Minsk agreement, which include the political process, decentralization and local elections in eastern Ukraine.

A cease-fire was signed between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in Minsk on Feb. 12.

The cease-fire agreement includes the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from combat areas, the withdrawal of all foreign-armed formations and release of all hostages and unlawfully detained persons, as well as political reforms and decentralization in the eastern Ukrainian regions.

More than 5,300 people have been killed and 12,200 others injured in eastern Ukraine since mid-April last year in the ongoing conflict, according to the UN high commissioner for human rights.