The 'latest news' from Ukraine

More lies and dishonest reporting from the western media – painting a picture of the war criminal as 'peace-maker” and perpetuating the myth of Russia as “aggressor”

See the language designed to ensure that a cesefire never takes place.

Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko proposes fresh ceasefire talks, fighting kills 13 in country's east

Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has proposed talks on a new ceasefire and is said to be waiting on a reply from pro-Russian rebels, a statement on his website says.

ABC,

5 July, 2014

According to the statement, Mr Poroshenko had informed European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton of a proposed time and place for the talks.

Ukraine's foreign minister and those of Germany, France and Russia agreed in Berlin on Wednesday that another meeting of the so-called contact group should be set up by this weekend with rebel leaders to agree on a more effective ceasefire.

The group includes a former Ukrainian president, Moscow's ambassador to Kiev and a high-ranking official from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Mr Poroshenko's website did not name a venue but a Western diplomat expected the talks to be held again in eastern Ukraine's major industrial hub of Donetsk, where the rebels control key points.

Separatist officials have suggested the venue could be a problem since rebel leaders could be subject to arrest by Ukrainian authorities if they move out of their strongholds.

"[The talks] can not be held outside Ukraine because it is felt this would inflate the status of the rebels," the Western diplomatic source said.

Ukraine is demanding that Russia prevent arms and volunteer fighters from crossing their long-shared border. It also wants the release of all hostages.

Russia denies orchestrating the conflict or sending in fighters and weapons.

Thirteen dead as fighting rages

News of the possible talks surfaced as some of the worst violence erupted since Mr Poroshenko called off a 10-day unilateral ceasefire on June 30, with Ukraine's "anti-terrorist operation" (ATO) headquarters announcing that at least 13 Ukrainian military personnel had been killed on Friday.

More than 200 people on the government side have been killed, as well as hundreds of civilians and rebels, in more than two months of fighting in the Russian-speaking eastern regions of the country.

Kiev said Ukrainian military personnel had sustained losses from sniper fire on its position near the rebel stronghold and flashpoint city of Slaviansk, where shelling has left roads pockmarked and buildings damaged and burnt out.

ATO headquarters said on Friday it had regained control of the nearby village of Mykolayivka after heavy fighting.

"In the course of the operation, a large number of terrorists were taken prisoner and a significant arsenal of various weapons were taken," a statement on Facebook said.

Slaviansk, a city of 130,000 people, and surrounding villages have been the main focus of Ukraine's military drive to force out fighters loyal to rebel commander Igor Strelkov.

Mr Strelkov has made an impassioned appeal to Russia, warning on a rebel website that without Moscow's help the entire region the rebels lay claim to, known as Novorossiya, would fall to Kiev's forces.

"Slaviansk will fall earlier than the rest," he wrote.

Russia's foreign ministry accused Ukraine of endangering innocent civilians in the region.

"We call on the Ukrainian authorities to cease firing on civilian targets and residential areas," it said.

More sanction threats loom

Russia's economy may face more sanctions from the United States and the EU if separatists fail to de-escalate the crisis.

It is an issue that US president Barack Obama and German chancellor Angela Merkel discussed again on Friday.

"The president and the chancellor agreed that the United States and Europe should take further coordinated measures to impose costs on Russia if it does not take steps toward de-escalation in short order," the White House said in a statement.