Mrs Merkel and Hollande going to Kiev and Moscow, do you have indications that an agreement is in the works?
"Nato fully supports all efforts to reach a negotiated conclusion to the conflict in Ukraine and so we fully support the initiative taken by two Allies - Germany and France - and I welcome that they are making a new effort and we support that.
“I think it’s very important that we understand that the situation in Ukraine is very serious, fighting has increased, more people are killed, civilians are killed, we see increased support from Russia to the separatists with forces, equipment, training and that underlines the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement.
Do Baltics, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania face a real threat of EU aggression?
“There is no concrete immediate threat but the reason why we are doing what at we’re doing with increased presence in Eastern part of Alliance, spearhead force, increased size of the NRF is both response to behaviour of Russia in the east, changing borders by the use off force, annexing part of another country Crimea and destablising Ukraine.
“The main purpose for enhancing our collective defence, NRF and spearhead is to make sure that Nato is able to protect all allies against any threat and that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing."
13.32 Vladimir Putin will meet with Mr Hollande and Mrs Merkel in Moscow tomorrow. Tom Parfitt in Moscow tweets on what the Russian foreign ministry has said so far.
13.30 Ukraine is asking the West for high tech weapons to halt the advance of Russian-backed separatists and force them to the negotiating table, a diplomatic source has told the Telegraph.
Kiev says it needs anti-tank weapons and counter-battery radar, which will help it spot incoming artillery and rocket barrages and pinpoint where they are fired from, Ben Farmer writes.
Ukraine estimates the separatists now have between 200 and 500 tanks, provided by Russia.
Ukrainian army soldiers in the Donetsk region
It is also asking for surveillance drones and more intelligence support.
The source said it was "not asking for rifles and shells, they have those, it's high tech equipment they need".
Kiev believes there is little prospect of meaningful negotiation with the separatists until the military balance swings in its favour.
The Ukrainian army is also dangerously weak and disorganised and needs foreign military advisers to help overhaul it into an effective fighting force.
13.25 Earlier today, Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, said that the government is "reviewing" whether to give Ukraine weapons and ammunition to help defend itself, reports The Telegraph's Deputy Political Editor, Steven Swinford.
He told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: "We have not supplied any lethal equipment to Ukraine. We continue to keep this under review to see what further protective help we could offer the Ukrainian defence forces."
13.19 David Cameron is being kept abreast of developments from the crunch talks Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande are holding with Mr Putin about Ukraine, Number 10 has said, writes The Telegraph's Political Correspondent, Ben Riley-Smith.
It is understood the Prime Minister did not talk personally with either the French or German leader yesterday but aides between the country have been liaising.
Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande are leading the talks as part of the so-called "Normandy format” of diplomacy which has emerged to tackle Russia's actions in recent months.
"We are in regular touch with the French and Germans, our other European partners and US allies on our approach to Russia and Ukraine," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
13.10 Live in Kiev, the Ukrainian president is giving a press conference with John Kerry, the US secretary of state. Petro Poroshenko thanked the secretary for his support. Sky News has the live streaming if you would like to watch.
At the conference, Mr Poroshenko said: "A friend in need is a friend indeed. Today voting in the Ukrainian parliament took place for the constitution and removing the immunity of members of parliament and judges [from prosecution]. This is another step in our decisive efforts to build a new country based on the principle of freedom and democracy.
John Kerry thanked the president and gave Ukraine the US support for their goal of democracy.
You are right, it is just about a year since I was here and I want you to know that today I am here specifically to bring you support and friendship and the goodwill of the president of the US and the people of the US.
The people share unwavering support for the Ukranian people who display courage for democracy, independence and most importantly respect for the sovereignty of your country.
He said the US admired the way the country had "pursued a sovereign future".
"I would emphasise to Putin and to those Russians and others that express concerns - we don't view this a zero-sum game, this is not mean to be or should be a divide between east and west. This is about rule of law.
"This is about the way nation states behave, respect for integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
"This morning we had the chance to discuss necessary and promising steps that the president had been leading. We are not seeking a conflict with Russia - not the US, not Ukraine, not EU community, this is not what this is about.
"We want a peaceful resolution and Russia's commitment to ending the bloodshed, by honouring the agreement it signed - the Minsk agreement."
Mr Kerry also urged the removal of foreign troops and equipment.
12.58 More about the update mentioned earlier that the UK is to boost Nato security by sending up to 1,000 troops to a high readiness force and deploy four RAF Typhoon jets for air policing in the Baltic States.
"This will see the UK contributing manpower to two regional headquarters in Poland and Romania and to force integration units in the three Baltic States, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.
Michael Fallon
"The VJTF is a high readiness, multinational force which will act as a ‘Spearhead force’, forming NATO’s first response in the face of aggression.
During 2015 around 4,000 UK troops will participate in Nato exercises in 2015.
12.44 Mr Poroshenko and John Kerry met during the latter's visit to Ukraine. Mr Poroshenko said on Wednesday the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was considering replace Ukraine's stand-by program with an Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
"We expect a positive decision soon as well as the possibility to get extra support from the European Union and other partners."
12.32 We've noted the absence of Prime Minister David Cameron in the talks and trip. The UK leader is in Leeds giving a talk currently but no mention of Ukraine.
12.30 Yesterday, Reuters reported on comments made by Mr Poroshenko, the president of Ukraine, to Die Welt, a German newspaper today. He called on Nato to provide more support, including military and weapons to "resist the aggressor".
"(That) includes, among other things, delivering modern weapons for protection and for resisting the aggressor.
12.27 During the press conference, Mr Hollande also said:
"Everybody thinks war happens elsewhere to everyone else and is not a reality for them. But a few hours for here, women, children, civilians are dying...Heavy weapons are being used."
11.59 Federica Mogherini, EU’s high representative on foreign affairs, reacts to the Hollande/Merkel trip with support and hope that it will take the conflict in a different direction.
"The European Union supports all the initiatives aimed at bringing political solution to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine; the efforts of Chancellor Angela Merkel and President François Hollande, and the visits to Kiev and Moscow they just announced are clearly going in this direction.
"The European Union is united in using all the means available to push for a political solution, by applying pressure as well as continuing dialogue.
11.52 Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's spokesman, has confirmed the Russian president will meet Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande in Moscow on Friday, Tom Parfitt writes.
"I confirm that negotiations between Putin, Merkel and Hollande are indeed planned for tomorrow, during which the three heads of state will discuss what exactly the three countries can do in order to facilitate a swift end to the civil war in southeast Ukraine," said Mr Peskov, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.
The use of the term "civil war" - disputed by some because of Russia's alleged military incursions on to Ukrainian territory - and the word "facilitate" are designed to suggest Moscow has no direct role in the conflict.
11.50 Tom Parfitt in Moscow reports that John Kerry, the US secretary of state, is already in Ukraine, having flown in to a snowy Kiev on Thursday morning.
("We welcome the secretary of state of the United States, John Kerry, to Kiev and wish him a fruitful visit!")
Mr Kerry met Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president, and – among other topics – was expected to discuss the controversial issue of whether the US will provide weapons to the Ukrainian government to help in in its fight with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
Barack Obama’s nominee to be the new US defence secretary, Ashton Carter, told a Senate committee on Wednesday that he was “very much inclined” to provide lethal arms to Ukrainian forces. But a White House spokesman appeared to slap Mr Carter down late in the day, making clear that Mr Obama, the US president, would make the final decision as commander in chief.
The weapons-for-Kiev debate may now become redundant if Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande can effect a lasting deal with Mr Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, to end the conflict.
Germany and France have already made clear they would not provide weapons to Kiev.
11.37 David Cameron is notably absent and from the way Mr Hollande is speaking, it appears that Germany and France are taking the lead on the response to the crisis.
During the conference, Mr Hollande said: "If we succeed (in Ukraine), we will have avoided an escalation of the conflict. But if we fail, I know it’s difficult, then people will say that France and Germany did everything they could to act.
"When France and Germany are united, they carry weight everywhere in the world.”
11.34 Snapshot of EU state of play on the Ukraine crisis from Bruno Waterfield - 19 names will be added to the sanctions list on Monday
11.32 Joe Biden, the US vice-president, has said there is no military solution to the Ukraine crisis in an interview with Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, and appeared to rule out the US arming Ukrainian government forces, Justin Huggler in Berlin reports.
“We said from the beginning that there is no military solution to this crisis,” Mr Biden told the newspaper. “We have no interest in a military escalation, and insist that the opposite occurs.”
Mr Biden blamed the crisis entirely on Russia. “Russia violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said, “from the beginning of this conflict was caused by the Russian aggression.”
He said pro-Russian separatists have been recruited, equipped and paid for by Russia. “In addition, Russian combat troops with Russian weapons and Russian tanks have advanced across the border,” he said.
“At stake is nothing less than Europe's security,” Mr Biden said, warning that the US is prepared to increase “the price for Russia's aggressive behaviour”.
11.29 The Ukraine crisis has become a bigger issue since Russian troops and tanks have continued to pour over the border in support of separatists fighting against the Ukrainian government and a ceasefire agreement between the two sides collapsed into full-scale fighting.
More than 5,000 people have been killed since the armed conflict broke out in the spring of 2014, according to the UN. Around 50 people died over the weekend.
11.24 Bruno Waterfield has this quick report on the closer relations between Mr Hollande and Mrs Merkel.
I am told the initiative is the rise of so-called "Normandy format” of diplomacy.
It began at the D-Day landing anniversary celebrations last year and involves Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine. It is very much a German-led initiative.
Britain, US and other EU countries frozen out. “If anything helps we’re not against it,” said a European diplomat. “Events on the ground are horrific."
More recent grouping is the Minsk format but that has fallen apart after separatists failed to show up at talks with OSCE this weekend.
Members of the armed forces of the Donetsk People's Republic in the outskirts of Donetsk
11.17 Henry Samuel in Paris has this quick summary from the Hollande press conference mentioned earlier.
In stern warning to Russia over the Ukraine conflict, François Hollande, the French president, said: "The option of diplomacy cannot be prolonged indefinitely."
"Peace is threatened at the frontiers of Europe. There is heavy weaponry in Ukraine, artillery fire, hospitals targeted. In the space of a few months, we have moved from a dispute to a conflict and from a conflict to war. We are now in a war, a war that can be total," he warned.
Mr Hollande announced a surprise trip to Kiev with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to a present a text "that is acceptable for all parties" to the president before travelling to Moscow on Friday to meet Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.
He added that France was "not at war in Ukraine" and thus would not send weapons. France "is not favourable" to Ukraine entering Nato, he added.
More than 10,000 people have been wounded in the conflict.
11.16 The Telegraph's Bruno Waterfield in Brussels points out that the first thing to note is that it is French and German leaders. Mr Hollande has so far been more reticent than Merkel in this crisis suggesting that Berlin is taking the lead.
It would once have been inconceivable for a German chancellor to do this, for reasons of history. Traditionally France and Britain take the foreign policy lead. Britain is conspicuously absent - so far.
11.08 Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the measures, part of the alliance's response to Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, were defensive.
"It is a response to what we have seen from Russia over a period of time and it is in full accordance with our international obligations," he told reporters.
Meanwhile, European governments agreed a new list of individuals and companies that will be hit by sanctions.
Of the 19 individuals, including five Russians, and nine entities, of which one is Russian, none were very senior or prominent, EU diplomats said.
The names were not immediately available. Foreign ministers will meet on Monday in Brussels to endorse the list, which adds to measures taken last year.
11.05 "Ukraine is at war. Heavy weapons are being used and civilians are being killed daily," François Hollande told journalists during his semi-annual press conference, AFP reports.
He noted that a volley of sanctions against Russia had failed to "stop hostilities" and said he and Merkel had come up with a new initiative in a bid to stem fighting between Kiev and separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
"We will propose a new solution to the conflict based on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We will discuss it with President (Petro) Poroshenko today and on Friday in Moscow with the Russian president," Hollande said.
Moscow denies allegations by Ukraine and its Western allies that it is sending thousands of regular army troops and weapons to support the rebels.
The fighting has claimed more than 5,358 lives since April, including some 220 in just the past three weeks, according to the United Nations.
10.54 Sky News is reporting that the UK will "send 1,000 troops to 'high readiness force' and deploy 4 RAF typhoon jets for air policing in Baltic states to boost #NATO security"
10.48 Earlier this week, Tom Parfitt reported that the spectre of a deepening proxy war in Ukraine involving both Russia and the United States raised its head after reports that the White House is considering supplying weapons to Kiev.
But Washington so far refused to supply weapons to the pro-Western Ukrainian government but reports suggest that a growing number of President Barack Obama's advisors are now warming to the idea.
According to the Times , General Philip Breedlove, Nato's military commander, supports providing arms and equipment to Ukraine’s hard-pressed forces, which are struggling to quell an uprising led by Russian-backed separatists.
But now Mr Hollande says France will itself not deliver arms to Kiev.
10.43 Henry Samuel, the Telegraph's correspondent in Paris, is at the press conference with Mr Hollande.
He confirms the pair will fly to Kiev today and meet Vladimir Putin on Friday.
10.40 Good morning and welcome to the Telegraph live coverage of the Ukraine crisis.
François Hollande, the French president, has said he will travel to Kiev with the German chancellor, according to Russia Today , to offer new proposal to solve the Ukraine crisis.
RT reports that he told a news conference: "Together with Angela Merkel we have decided to take a new initiative. We will make a new proposal to solve the conflict which will be based on Ukraine's territorial integrity."
It is also reported they will go to Moscow on Friday. In a statement, Steffen Seibert, the German chancellor's spokesman, said: "In view of the escalating violence in recent days, the chancellor and President Hollande are intensifying their efforts, which have been going on for months, for a peaceful settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine."
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1F9EPyO
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