UPDATE - Russia and Ukraine discussed end to fighting, not ceasefire

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a complete ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, a spokesman for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday.

Russian officials have denied reports that it had agreed to a permanent cease-fire in Eastern Ukraine, although they discussed measures to resolve the fighting, according to RIA Novosti.

The Kremlin released a statement saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, did not agree on a ceasefire because "Russia isn't a side in the conflict".

However, discussions did include possible measures to resolve the conflict.

Even so, some analysts warned that it might be a Russian ruse to avoid the European Union imposing new sanctions.

The news follows talks between Poroshenko and Putin.

"The result of a conversation was an agreement on a permanent cease-fire in Donbass," said a statement on the Ukrainian president's website.

"There was a mutual understanding on the steps to promote peace."

DC