US Secretary of State John Kerry held tense talks with his Russian counterpart in Geneva Monday to end fighting in Ukraine, where the UN says more than 6,000 have died in less than a year, AFP reported.

The meeting with Sergei Lavrov in Geneva came less than a week after Kerry accused Moscow of lying about its involvement in the conflict, and as high-stake talks to resolve a bitter gas dispute between Kiev and Moscow were also due in Brussels.

Speaking after the Geneva talks, Russia's foreign minister welcomed "tangible progress" in the implementation of a February 15 peace deal, saying "the ceasefire is being consolidated, heavy weapons are withdrawn."

bbabo.Net