Merkel denounces Minsk violations

BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the Minsk ceasefire agreement was still being violated in eastern Ukraine on a regular basis. Speaking ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Berlin on May 13, Ms. Merkel said: “Based on the Minsk agreement from February, we have to observe that we are not yet where we want to be. We still don’t have a complete ceasefire.” Mr. Poroshenko pointed to continued clashes near the Donetsk airport and demanded that international monitors be posted there. “The heavy weapons must be withdrawn,” he added. Ms. Merkel was to brief Mr. Poroshenko on her May 10 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Reuters, the Associated Press and Deutsche Presse-Agentur)