Merkel, Poroshenko welcome ceasefire agreement in Ukraine

Berlin (dpa) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed a ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukraine during a call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, said a statement released by her office on Friday.Both sides hoped that the ceasefire set for the Christmas holiday would lead to a longer-term improvement in the security situation, the statement said.Ukrainian forces are battling pro-Russian separatists in the country‘s two eastern-most regions, which border Russia. The warring sides agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday that would cover the Christmas and New Year‘s season.Merkel and Poroshenko stressed the importance of securing the swift exchange of prisoners held on each side as part of efforts to de-escalate the conflict that broke out in 2014.Merkel spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation in Ukraine on Thursday. Both leaders expressed hope for a long-term truce.