Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko offered separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine more autonomy, in an effort to solve the crisis in the country.
Poroshenko said that implementing the truce, signed between the two sides Friday, had been "difficult" in the midst of a "war for the independence and integrity" and provocation by “terrorists”.
"The situation has radically changed at the front. Before the ceasefire was announced, Ukraine was losing the lives of dozens of its heroes on a daily basis," he added.
"According to the latest information I have received from our intelligence, 70 percent of Russian troops have been moved back across the border," he said. "This further strengthens our hope that the peace initiatives have good prospects."
The president’s offer was however rejected by some of the rebels. Andrei Purgin, the deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said the rebels "are not considering remaining part of Ukraine".
In a televised address, Poroshenko said he would propose a bill in parliament, granting "special status" to parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, currently controlled by rebels, but rejected the rebel demands for independence and the federal solution favoured by Moscow.
"The Minsk protocol envisages the restoration and preservation of Ukrainian sovereignty on all the territory of the Donbass (in eastern Ukraine), including that controlled by the fighters,"
"Ukraine will not make any concessions on issues of its territorial integrity," he insisted.
Russia has consistently denied its troops’ presence in the country.
Poroshenko said that implementing the truce, signed between the two sides Friday, had been "difficult" in the midst of a "war for the independence and integrity" and provocation by “terrorists”.
"The situation has radically changed at the front. Before the ceasefire was announced, Ukraine was losing the lives of dozens of its heroes on a daily basis," he added.
"According to the latest information I have received from our intelligence, 70 percent of Russian troops have been moved back across the border," he said. "This further strengthens our hope that the peace initiatives have good prospects."
The president’s offer was however rejected by some of the rebels. Andrei Purgin, the deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said the rebels "are not considering remaining part of Ukraine".
In a televised address, Poroshenko said he would propose a bill in parliament, granting "special status" to parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, currently controlled by rebels, but rejected the rebel demands for independence and the federal solution favoured by Moscow.
"The Minsk protocol envisages the restoration and preservation of Ukrainian sovereignty on all the territory of the Donbass (in eastern Ukraine), including that controlled by the fighters,"
"Ukraine will not make any concessions on issues of its territorial integrity," he insisted.
Russia has consistently denied its troops’ presence in the country.