European Union leaders are hailing the presidential election in Ukraine and calling on Russia to do what it can to end the fighting in the country's east.
Leaders of the 28 EU countries, meeting yesterday in Brussels, said they expect Russia to cooperate with newly elected President Petro Poroshenko, winner of Sunday's elections.
In a statement, the EU heads of state and government said Moscow should "use its leverage on the armed separatists to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine."
The European leaders said that as a priority, the Russian government should prevent separatists and weapons from crossing the border into Ukraine.
"We encourage the Russian Federation to enter into a frank and open dialogue" with Ukrainian authorities, the EU leaders said.
