The European Union will "fully play its role" to implement the gas deal signed by Ukraine and Russia on Thursday, the French and German presidents said in a joint statement.
Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel said they had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko earlier in the evening, and all four "have welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the delivery of Russian gas to Ukraine, achieved thanks to the mediation of the European Union".