Obama, Merkel urge the parties to begin disengagement of forces in east Ukraine

“Regarding Ukraine, President Obama expressed strong support for the ongoing efforts of the Normandy Group, led by Germany and France, to determine a way forward that leads to rapid and full implementation of the Minsk Agreements,” reads the statement. The two leaders urged the parties to continue respecting the ceasefire, begin the disengagement of forces along the line of contact as quickly as possible, and provide international monitors with unfettered access to the entire conflict zone. Also, President Obama and Chancellor Merkel strongly condemned the barbarous Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes against eastern Aleppo, an area populated with hundreds of thousands of civilians, half of whom are children.