Kerry 'hopeful' about Ukraine cease-fire deal

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States hopes the Ukraine cease-fire deal will be implemented within "hours" after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Switzerland on Monday.

It came as the United Nations said the estimated number of people killed in the conflict between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian separatists since April 2014 had passed 6,000.

Speaking in Geneva, Kerry accused the rebels of a "piecemeal" approach to the cease-fire agreement, which was brokered Feb. 12 in Minsk, Belarus. He said Moscow could face further sanctions if the deal is not fully implemented within days, the BBC reported.

However, Kerry said he was optimistic the truce could be in place in "hours, certainly not more than days," the broadcaster said. "I'm very hopeful that it will in fact be the start of a change which would be an improvement for everybody," he added.

Lavrov said there had been "tangible progress."

The warring parties on Thursday declared the start of the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line, more than a week after it was due to have begun. Both sides have claimed the other has violated the cease-fire that came into effect Feb. 15.

Russia denies claims it is supplying rebels with troops and equipment.

The meeting came less than a week after Kerry told Congress that Russian officials have lied to his face about Moscow's role in Ukraine. The comment drew a rebuke from the Russian foreign ministry, the Associated Press reported, and U.S. officials have said that Kerry did not specifically accuse Lavrov of lying to him, but was referring to public statements and media reports.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree opening the way to a formal request for international peacekeepers to be stationed in the east of the country.

Poroshenko's office said the appeal will be addressed to the United Nations and the European Union and gave no specific details on the mission's composition or any timetable for it, the AP reported. Russia is strongly against the idea.

Russia and Ukraine's energy ministers were also holding emergency talks in Brussels on Monday as Russian gas giant Gazprom threatens to cut off deliveries to Ukraine for lack of payment.