President allows deployment of peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine

KIEV - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday approved a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to call for international peacekeepers to monitor ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the presidential press service said.

Kiev will appeal to the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to deploy a peacekeeping and security operation in Lugansk and Donetsk regions to ensure effective implementation of the Minsk peace agreement, the press service said in a statement posted on the presidential website.

To come into force, the NSDC decision should be also approved by the Ukrainian parliament, which is scheduled to vote on the issue on Tuesday.

Ukraine's intention to call for the deployment of an international peacekeeping mission has triggered skepticism from the pro-independence insurgents, who said that the presence of any peacekeepers would violate the Minsk agreement reached on Feb 12.

Since the peace deal came into force on Feb 15, the ceasefire has been generally observed in eastern regions despite sporadic violations and the warring sides have started the withdrawal of their heavy weapons from the frontline.