Ukraine crisis: Leaders agree peace roadmap

By BBC News

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France announced that a ceasefire would begin on 15 February. The deal also includes weapon withdrawals and prisoner exchanges, but key issues remain to be settled. 

The pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have signed the agreement. Thousands of people have died in almost a year of fighting in the region.

The BBC's Richard Galpin in Minsk says the deal is very similar to aceasefire agreed last September, which unravelled very quickly.

The latest agreement includes:

• Ceasefire to begin at 00:01 local time on 15 February
• Heavy weapons to be withdrawn, beginning on 16 February and completed in two weeks
• All prisoners to be released; amnesty for those involved in fighting
• Withdrawal of all foreign troops and weapons from Ukrainian territory. Disarmament of all illegal groups
• Ukraine to allow resumption of normal life in rebel areas, by lifting restrictions
• Constitutional reform to enable decentralisation for rebel regions by the end of 2015
• Ukraine to control border with Russia if conditions met by the end of 2015

Key unresolved issues include the status of Debaltseve, a government-held town surrounded by rebels, where fighting is still going on. Further talks will also be held on self-rule in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.'Glimmer of hope'

French President Francois Hollande said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would ask their European Union partners to support the deal at a summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Ms Merkel said there was now a "glimmer of hope" but big hurdles remained, while Mr Hollande said "the coming hours will be decisive".