International

French President Francois Hollande said on Friday that pressure needed to be applied on Russia and pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine to respect a ceasefire he helped broker in February.

"What is clear is that the ceasefire is not entirely respected," Hollande told reporters during an Eastern Partnership summmit in Riga.

The French leader said the situation was still very worrying in certain Ukrainian towns.

"And that is why we must act and continue to put pressure and particularly on the east of Ukraine and on Russia so that they fully respect the Minsk accord," he said.

Russia denies it is providing troops or arms to pro-Russian rebels who launched a separatist uprising in April of last year. It accuses Kiev of breaching the February Minsk ceasefire agreement.