The EU has given Moscow a three-day ultimatum to take concrete steps towards implementing a peace plan in eastern Ukraine or risk economic sanctions.

The steps include agreeing to international oversight of the conflict, returning three border checkpoints to Ukraine, the launch of substantial negotiations on the implementation of President Poroshenko's peace plan and the release of hostages including all of the OSCE observers.

The European Council expressed its support to the peace plan announced last week by Ukraine's President Poroshenko and the regret that the cease-fire, while being respected by the Ukrainian authorities, has not led to the full cessation of military hostilities.

The EC urged the Russian Federation to actively use its influence over the illegally armed groups and to stop the flow of weapons and militants across the border, in order to achieve rapid and tangible results in de-escalation.

The final statement of the participants in the EU summit is that following its March conclusions and the decision not to recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, the European Council welcomes the work undertaken by the Commission to give effect to this policy and the decision to prohibit the import of goods from Crimea and Sevastopol which do not have a Ukrainian certificate

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