The G7 group of economic powers is "concerned about the situation in Ukraine," the statement says, adding that European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker share this opinion.
The group welcomes the set of measures on the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukraine that was approved in the Belarusian capital on February 12 by the sides that signed the initial agreements.
The implementation of the Minsk package envisages "a prospect of reaching an all-encompassing, long-term peaceful settlement of the crisis in eastern Ukraine," according to the G7 leaders.
The G7 is still concerned about the situation in the war-torn country, and in particular, about the armed actions near Debaltsevo, the statement stresses.
"We strongly urge all the sides to strictly adhere to the proposals of the [above mentioned] package and immediately implement the measures envisaged by it, starting from ceasefire on February 15. All the sides should in the following days stop actions that would hamper the compliance with the truce," the G7 leaders said.
The G7 is "ready to take the necessary measures against those who will violate the Minsk package and by this increase the price for them, and especially, for those who will not be committed to the ceasefire regime and ensure the heavy weaponry withdrawal."
The G7 leaders also welcomed the preliminary agreement reached between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government of Ukraine on a new program of economic reforms and expressed hope that it will be approved by the IMF board of directors.
The 16-hour marathon of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ended in Minsk on Thursday.
As a result of the meeting, it was announced that an agreement was reached on ceasefire in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions from February 15 and the heavy weaponry withdrawal from the separation line.
However, the leader of Ukraine`s radical nationalist Right Sector organization, Dmytro Yarosh, announced on Friday that the group doesn`t recognize the agreements reached in Minsk and will continue combat actions. According to Yarosh, the agreements contradict Ukraine`s constitution.
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