PARIS
France will propose to hold talks with Ukraine, Russia and Germany in Paris later this month to discuss peace process in Ukraine.
French President Francois Hollande said the cease-fire was for the most respected, that the process had moved forward despite heavy arms still being sent in eastern Ukraine.
"The foreign ministers will speak in the coming days, and I propose a meeting [of leaders] in Paris before the U.N. General Assembly [on Sept. 28] so that we can evaluate the process and lead it to its end," Hollande told a press conference on Monday.
The Minsk cease-fire agreement includes the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from combat areas, as well as all foreign-armed groups. However, the agreement has failed to be fully implemented, with daily reports of breaches and clashes in the region.
There have been constant clashes and accusations of violating the cease-fire from both sides.
"If the process succeeds I will support the lifting of sanctions," added Hollande.
For almost a year-and-a-half, the U.S. and its European partners have worked to economically isolate the Russian government with sanctions in hopes of forcing Russian President Vladimir Putin's to pull back from aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine.
The U.S. and the EU accuse Russia of supporting a pro-Russian separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine that began shortly after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. Russia denies the charges.
More than 6,000 people have been killed and 1.4 million people internally displaced in the conflict between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian separatists since April 2014, according to the United Nations.
