German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emanuel Macron in Bonn in November 2017 | Philipp Guelland - Pool/Getty Images Macron and Merkel urge peaceful solutions to Ukraine crisis The statement from the French and German leaders came in response to an uptick in ceasefire violations in Eastern Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel urged both sides in the ongoing fighting in Eastern Ukraine Saturday to "live up to their responsibilities" and "implement as quickly as possible" agreements to reduce conflict in the region.

The joint statement from the German chancellor and French president came in light of "the recent sharp increase in the number of ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine."

"There is no alternative to an exclusively peaceful solution to the conflict," the two leaders said in the statement, urging "the need for full implementation of the Minsk agreements."

Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) met on Wednesday to "reaffirm the commitment to a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire with a view to the upcoming holidays and beyond," they said. Participants warned then that Moscow’s decision to withdraw from a ceasefire control group — called the Joint Center for Control and Coordination — could worsen the fighting, Reuters reported.

Merkel and Macron urged in their letter that Russian officers return to the group — a plea that Merkel made t direct to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call Thursday.

The French and German leaders also called for "immediate and verifiable steps to stabilize the ceasefire," and said it was necessary to implement an agreement to withdraw heavy weapons behind the agreed lines and transfer tanks, artillery and grenade launchers to the agreed deposits.

They said the parties must also address other aspects of the Minsk agreements — peace accords signed by Russia, Ukraine and other parties — including withdrawing foreign armed groups and return of control of the Russian-Ukrainian border.

A recent agreement to exchange up to 380 prisoners from both sides must be "urgently implemented" and would be "a milestone in the implementation of the Minsk agreements," they said.

Meanwhile, Moscow on Saturday warned that a U.S. decision to arm Ukraine could "lead to new bloodshed," the AFP reported. The U.S. state department on Friday announced the U.S. would provide Ukraine with “enhanced defensive capabilities.”