White House eyes fighting in Ukraine

Intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine and reports that Russian-backed separatists are moving weapons and tanks to the front lines are causing concern at the White House.

{mosads}”We continue to call on all sides to strictly adhere to the cease-fire,” National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said in a statement Sunday afternoon. “Any attempt by separatist forces to seize additional territory in eastern Ukraine would be a blatant violation of the Minsk agreements. We reiterate our call on the Russian Federation to honor all of the commitments it made in Minsk, including ending its military supply to the separatists and the withdrawal of all of its troops and weapons from Ukraine.”

The heaviest shelling in a month was reported in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, according to Reuters.

Meehan said that Russia “must enable the restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty along the Ukrainian side of the international border … and facilitate the release of all hostages.”

“We continue to stress that adherence to the framework agreed upon in Minsk is the best chance of achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” she added.