KIEV, Ukraine—The Ukranian government said Monday that it had reached a truce with pro-Russian separatists in one of the hottest spots of the monthslong conflict in eastern Ukraine, potentially signaling progress in the implementation of frequently violated peace accords.

The fighting around the airport of the eastern city of Donetsk—the only outpost of the government forces in the area—ceased as Ukrainian and Russian military officials negotiated a cease-fire in the area, according to the Ukrainian press-center for the military operation in the eastern regions.

Rebels didn’t immediately commented on the announcement, adding to the uncertainty about this latest effort. Multiple previous attempts to agree on “quiet periods” on top of the existing peace accords have often quickly broken down.

A representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic’s hotline said he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter, and other spokesmen couldn’t immediately be reached.

Donetsk airport, a spot of strategic and symbolic importance to the Ukrainian military, has been subject to the fiercest attacks for months, claiming hundreds of lives.