Russia, Ukraine to meet this week for peace talks in Minsk

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany plan to meet in Minsk, Belarus, on Wednesday for talks aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

"They expect that their efforts during the Minsk meeting will lead to the swift and unconditional cessation of fire by both sides," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's office said in a statement.

Fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists has intensified since the failure last year of a delicate cease fire. Last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande traveled to Russia to discuss a last-ditch peace plan.

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