New Year and Christmas Holidays, Pro-Russian and Ukraine Agreed for Truce

Pro-Russia forces have reportedly agreed to abide by a ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Kiev, which is aimed at stopping violence in eastern Ukraine ahead of the Christmas and New York holidays.

The “indefinite truce” went into effect at midnight Saturday (Friday 2200 GMT), according to Denis Pushilin, who heads the Council of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine.

The deal between Kiev and pro-Russia forces was reached with the help of Moscow and European monitors and is expected to last through at least the holiday season.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed the move as an important step towards a lasting peace.

“I expect that thanks to these measures, which come on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays, this ceasefire in eastern Ukraine will be a lasting one,” Poroshenko said in a statement.

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