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In a statement issued on 13 February, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has welcomed the ceasefire agreement for eastern Ukraine negotiated in Minsk and announced yesterday.

The agreement following discussions between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany aims to bring an end to the violence in Ukraine, which has cost the lives of thousands, according to UN reports.

“We express our sincere appreciation to all parties to these negotiations for this first step together towards peace, and to the leaders of Germany and France for their facilitation of the negotiations,” said Georges Lemopoulos, WCC acting general secretary.

He stressed that the deaths and damage - and the confrontation and distrust within the international community - resulting from the conflict in Ukraine must be brought to an end.

The “WCC urges all parties to the conflict to continue their steps towards peace, to maintain a commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, and to refrain from further violence that only can cause greater human suffering in Ukraine and deepen the rift in the social and political fabric of the region and in the wider international community,” concluded Lemopoulos.

Read full text of the statement on Ukraine ceasefire agreement

Statement on Ukraine by the Conference of European Churches

WCC works with Ukrainian churches for peace (WCC news release of 17 December 2014)