Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was to face renewed European pressure yesterday to talk to pro-Russian rebels on a truce as Kiev tightened its grip around jittery rebel stronghold Donetsk.
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were expected to push the Western-backed leader on a ceasefire in three-way telephone talks but Kiev has until now shrugged off calls to halt an offensive that has reclaimed a string of key rebel towns.
Ukraine's military says it controls all routes in and out of the cities and a spokesman for Kiev's National Security and Defence Council warned a plan was in place that would give the rebels an "unpleasant surprise."
Nearly 500 lives have been lost since Poroshenko came to office in May.
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were expected to push the Western-backed leader on a ceasefire in three-way telephone talks but Kiev has until now shrugged off calls to halt an offensive that has reclaimed a string of key rebel towns.
Ukraine's military says it controls all routes in and out of the cities and a spokesman for Kiev's National Security and Defence Council warned a plan was in place that would give the rebels an "unpleasant surprise."
Nearly 500 lives have been lost since Poroshenko came to office in May.
