Kiev: Ukraine on Tuesday signed much-anticipated accords with separatists from the country's east, Russia and European monitors that agree a local election can be held in separatist-controlled territory, paving the way for peace talks with Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to media during his press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine. Credit:AP

The signing at a meeting in the Belarusian capital Minsk was largely seen as the new Ukrainian government taking a major step toward a resolution of the prolonged armed conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 13,000 people and displaced more than 1 million since 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said at a briefing in Kiev that the country agreed to a snap local election in the east, which has been controlled by the Russia-backed separatists since April 2014. He sought to dispel fears about excessive concessions to the separatists, saying the election would be held only when Ukraine regains control of all its borders with Russia.

"There won't be any elections under the barrel of a gun," Zelenskiy said in response to criticism that his administration bowed to Russia's demands. "There won't be any elections there if the troops are still there."