The leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine have met in Minsk again in a bid to end the crisis in Ukraine that erupted anew in early January has caused more casualties since it first began 10 months ago.

France's president Francois Hollande, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met on Wednesday night as the fighting raged on between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The atmosphere during the meeting was especially tense, according to reports.

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The participating parties in the talks do not intend to end the meeting until Ukraine and Russia come to terms. Thus, an amended version of a ceasefire deal was presented.

The ceasefire plan was signed in Minsk last year but had been continuously violated by both parties. The amended ceasefire deal asks both parties to withdraw the heavy weapons used in the battle field and to grant Ukrainian separatists a large area in eastern Ukraine.

According to Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, there is a 70 percent chance that the ceasefire deal will be signed but giving in to the request of the separatists to control the border between Russia and the separatist-held areas will still be in limbo as Ukraine might not approve of this.

Ukraine wants to regain control of the areas to make sure Russia will no longer send troops and weapons to help the separatists. However, Russia may not agree to this term, too, Lavrov explained.

In the past 24 hours, at least 49 people have reportedly been killed as the shelling continues in critical areas. This escalation of violence in the area has been alarming Western capitals, pushing them help to seal an agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

Merkel also talked to United States President Barack Obama regarding the rumored plans of them backing Ukraine with weaponries as she noted that this might spark more violence from Russia and the separatists.

The war in eastern Ukraine began in May last year when pro-Russian separatists established a "people's republic" in Donetsk. 

TagsGermany, Russia, Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, Summit, end Ukraine crisis