Merkel says tightening Ukraine-Russian border is key to peace deal.

(Reuters) - - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday the standoff over Ukraine could be solved but only if control was tightened over the Ukraine-Russia border across which, the West alleges, Russia has been funnelling arms to help a separatist rebellion.

Merkel was visiting Kiev as a prelude to a meeting next week between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders that diplomats say is the best chance in months of a peace deal in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are fighting pro-Moscow rebels.

But she arrived as tensions flared up again. NATO has alleged Russia's military is active inside Ukraine helping the rebels, and Moscow angered Kiev and its Western allies by sending an aid convoy into Ukraine against Kiev's wishes.

"There must be two sides to be successful. You cannot achieve peace on your own. I hope the talks with Russia will lead to success," said Merkel, looking ahead to a meeting on Tuesday involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko.

• "The plans are on the table...now actions must follow," the German leader told a news conference after talks with Poroshenko in the Ukrainian capital.

She said a ceasefire was needed, but the main obstacle was the lack of controls along the nearly 2,000 km (1,300 mile) border. She proposed an agreement between Kiev and Moscow on monitoring of the frontier by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Poroshenko suggested he saw scope for accord.

“The Ukrainian side and our European partners will do everything possible to bring about peace - but not at the price of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the independence of Ukraine," he said.....................http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/23/us-ukraine-crisis-aid-convoy-idUSKBN0GM0IS20140823?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews23/8/14
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• German Chancellor visits Ukrainian capital

KIEV: German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew in to the Ukrainian capital on Saturday and said she wanted to help end a crisis over Ukraine which flared again after Russia sent a convoy of trucks into Ukraine without Kiev's permission.

Making her first visit to Ukraine since the conflict broke out four months ago in the east of the country between pro-Moscow separatists and government forces, Merkel went into talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

In brief remarks at the start of their talks, the German leader said she came to Kiev "in a difficult time which is focussed on the unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine."

"I hope that we will be able to discuss bilateral problems and support from Germany as well as the path towards peace, which must be found," she said.

Hours before her plane landed in Kiev, there was heavy artillery bombardment in Donetsk, the main separatist stronghold on the east of Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Reuters reporters saw apartments destroyed and puddles of blood, where, according to residents, two civilians were killed.

The unusually intense shelling may be part of a drive by government forces to achieve a breakthrough against the rebels in time for Ukrainian Independence Day, which falls on Sunday.

Diplomats say Merkel has two aims for the visit: primarily to show support for Kiev in its stand-off with Russia, but also urge Poroshenko to be open to peace proposals when he meets Russian  President Vladimir Putin for talks next week...........................http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/German-Chancellor-visits-Ukrainian-capital/articleshow/40796765.cms23/8/14