Ukraine’s leader urges peacekeeping mission for the east

Men across a destroyed bridge, fallen onto the road towards the airport, the scene of heavy fighting in Donetsk, Ukraine, Sunday, March 1, 2015. The recent pullback of some weapons from the line separating government and rebel forces in Ukraine seems to have boosted the prospects for peace, although both sides are warning of their readiness to resume fighting if necessary.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Men across a destroyed bridge, fallen onto the road towards the airport, the scene of heavy fighting in Donetsk, Ukraine, Sunday, March 1, 2015. The recent pullback of some weapons from the line separating government and rebel forces in Ukraine seems to have boosted the prospects for peace, although both sides are warning of their readiness to resume fighting if necessary.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

By Associated Press March 2, 2015 1 min read

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine’s president has a signed a decree opening the way to a formal request for international peacekeepers to be stationed in eastern regions where government forces are battling Russian-backed separatists.

President Petro Poroshenko’s office said Monday the appeal for a contingent of peacekeepers will be addressed to the United Nations and the European Union. His office gave no specific details on the mission’s composition or any timetable for it but Russia is strongly against the idea.

Fighting has waned substantially in eastern Ukraine in recent days as a cease-fire deal forged last month increasingly takes effect, but both sides have complained of sporadic violations.

The U.N. human rights office on Monday raised its toll of the fighting, saying more than 6,000 people have died since the conflict began in April.