US, German leaders urge implementation of deals on Ukraine

U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday vowed no letup in sanctions against Russia until peace returns to eastern Ukraine, calling for a "full and prompt" implementation of related ceasefire agreements.
In a phone conversation, the two leaders reiterated that "There will be no easing of sanctions imposed on Russia until it has fulfilled all of its Minsk commitments," the White House said in a statement.
The three deals reached in September last year and in February this year in the Belarusian capital of Minsk have not been fully executed, with sporadic fighting still besieging Ukraine's east, where some 6,000 people have been killed since April last year.
Obama and Merkel "agreed on the need for full and prompt implementation of the three Minsk agreements in order to reach a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict," the White House said.
Washington and its European allies have threatened more punitive measures against Moscow over its failure to back the deals' execution.
In addition, the U.S. and German leaders agreed on "the continued importance" of providing economic aid in support of Ukraine's reform efforts, the White House said.