Zee Media Bureau

Berlin: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the crucial talks in Berlin over the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukarine were “difficult” but made “progress”, as per news reports on Monday.

The meeting took place between Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France on Sunday in a bid to look for a solution to the ongoing violence in the strife-torn country which has killed thousands of people including civilians.

The talks also discussed about a possible ceasefire in Ukraine and ways to avert the humanitarian crisis, Steinmeier said, the BBC reported.

He further said that the next course of action will be decided after the Foreign Ministers who attended the meeting will discuss the developments with their respective leaders.

Ahead of the crucial talks, the pro-Russian rebels shot down a Ukrainian plane even though the pilot ejected to safety.

The Ukrainian forces maneged to make an advance in the rebel-held city of Luhansk on Sunday and hoisted a Ukrainian flag on a police station.

Meanwhile, the Russian convoy carrying 2,000 tonnes of aid to eastern Ukraine are yet to cross the border as the Red Cross has reportedly asked for security guarantees to continue.

Ukraine has also insisted that any aid from Russia will be allowed in the country only if it passes through the border controlled by the government, as per BBC news report.

The Western countries had earlier expressed concerns that Russia could be using aid as a pretext to supply arms to the pro-Russian rebels.