Ukraine ends unilateral truce and vows to attack pro-Russian militants

Ukraine's president has decided to resume a military offensive against pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.

Western-supported Petro Poroshenko said in an address to the nation: "After examining the situation I have decided, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, not to extend the unilateral ceasefire. We will attack."

The announcement is likely to trigger a steep escalation in the months-long conflict. It came after a diplomatic push led by France and Germany failed to convince Kiev to extend a 10-day truce that did not quell the fighting in the rebellious east.

Poroshenko is under pressure from the Ukrainian public to toughen his stance on the uprising. But he insisted that Kiev was not abandoning its efforts for peace altogether.

"We are even ready to return to a ceasefire at any moment, when we see that all the parties agree to enact the essential points of the peace plan," he said.

Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Moscow of fuelling the bloodshed that has left about 450 dead by sending arms and fighters across the border between the two ex-Soviet neighbours.

Poroshenko's announcement came a few hours after a conference call with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany, who were pushing for the ceasefire to be extended.

The French presidency had said Kiev and Moscow were working on the "adoption of an agreement on a bilateral ceasefire", raising expectations that the truce would continue.