Russia has withdrawn troops from the border and promised to step up security to stop armed rebels entering the Donetsk and Luhansk regions from Russian areas to support separatists.
A more positive trend is also evident in talks between Gazprom, Ukraine’s Naftohaz Ukrainy, and Russian, Ukrainian and European government officials about the price of Russian gas exports to Ukraine.
Despite threats last month to halt gas deliveries to Ukraine, Gazprom has pushed back cut-off deadlines twice this month.
