BERLIN, April 18 - Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Tuesday that Russia, Ukraine and France have renewed their commitment to implement a shaky peace deal for eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed rebels have been fighting government soldiers since 2014, Deutsche Welle reported.

KIEV, April 18 – The referendum in the Netherlands will not affect the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the visa liberalization regime for Ukrainians, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said.

WASHINGTON, April 18 - U.S. President Barak Obama called Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday morning for what the White House said was an "intense" conversation about the breakdown of the cease-fire in Syria, USA Today reported.

KRAMATORSK, April 18 - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) seeks to raise around $3 million in the next two years for humanitarian programs in Ukraine, said Pavlo Zamostian, deputy head of the representative office of UNFPA in Ukraine.

KIEV, April 18 - A Ukrainian court on Monday sentenced two Russian soldiers captured last May to 14 years in prison for their involvement in the pro-Russian separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

KIEV, April 18 - Less than half of Ukrainians - 45% - support the idea of Ukraine's joining NATO, according to a public opinion poll.

Asked how they would vote if a referendum on Ukraine's accession to NATO were held today, 45% of those polled said they would vote in favor of NATO membership, 30% would vote against it, 16% were undecided, and 10% would not cast their ballots.

KIEV, April 18 – Minister for Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Vadym Chernysh said that the newly created ministry will quickly start working. He said the staff of the Agency for the Restoration of Donbas he headed earlier will form the core of the ministry.

KIEV, April 18 – New Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk believes that his top priority goals are resumption of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the urgent systemic reform of the public finance area. The minister also said that the implementation of the coalition agreement is obligatory.

KIEV, April 18 – A mission of the International Monetary Fund will visit Ukraine soon, IMF head Christine Lagarde said at a meeting with the Ukrainian delegation during the Spring Meeting of IMF and World Bank in Washington.

KIEV, April 18 - Three quarters of Ukrainians - 75% - do not approve of Petro Poroshenko's performance as president, according to a poll conducted by the Rating sociological service.