Glimmer of hope seen in Ukraine crisis: Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that hope emerged as parties reached an agreement in Minsk over a resolution to the Ukraine crisis, but concrete steps must be taken thereafter.

"We now have a glimmer of hope," Merkel said in a joint statement with French President Francois Hollande on the website of Germany's federal government.

Meanwhile, she stressed that she had no illusion as "there are still major hurdles lying ahead," saying "concrete steps" must be taken.

Germany and France have shown in common that they had made a contribution in line with Europe, she said, adding that her initiative with Hollande to mediate a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis was worthwhile.

Earlier Thursday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a separate statement that the marathon four-way negotiations, attended by heads of state and government of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine, "achieved something" including a ceasefire to be effective as of Saturday night.

The talks have cleared timelines for the implementation of elections in eastern Ukraine, border control and prisoner exchanges as agreed in Minsk last September, he said.

"It was an extremely difficult negotiation" and the new agreement was "a difficult birth," Steinmeier said, urging relevant parties to refrain from anything that might undermine the current agreement before the ceasefire enters into force. Endi