CRI听力:Poroshenko Defends Peace Plan

Ukraine's President is defending the new agreement worked out this weekend for a weapons-free buffer zone in eastern Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko says the new deal should hold, provided three conditions are met.

"Our first demand is for the withdrawal of troops. We will say when the last soldier will leave. We observed how they were leaving, we are observing when they stopped. They have nothing to do there. Our second demand is the closure of the border. The third demand is the release of hostages, including those who are based in Russia."

The establishment of the military buffer zone comes on the heels of a ceasefire being signed between Kiev and the rebel forces earlier this month.

Ukrainian authorities have long accused Russia of being behind the sepratist movement in the predominantly Russian-speaking eastern part of Ukraine.

Moscow has consistenly denied this.