Ukraine ceasefire deal signed

• Would do everything possible to end the bloodshed: Ukraine Prez
• Truce has not changed our policy of advocating separation: Rebels
• NATO approves rapid response force aimed at deterring Russia

Minsk: The Ukrainian government and pro-Russia rebels have signed a truce deal to end almost five months of fighting.

The two sides, meeting in the Belarusian capital Minsk, agreed to stop firing at 15:00 GMT. President Petro Poroshenko said he would do "everything possible" to end the bloodshed. The rebels said the truce had not changed their policy of advocating separation from Ukraine.

More than 2,600 people have died since rebels stormed several eastern cities. The move prompted a military operation by Ukrainian forces to retake the cities. The rebels, who had largely been pushed back towards their strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, made new advances in recent days.

Fighting was continuing on Friday around Mariupol, a coastal city about 110km (70 miles) south of Donetsk. In Mariupol, Pro-Russia forces were hitting Ukrainian positions 4km outside the city.

Large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian artillery fired back, he says. Ukrainian fighter jets also hit rebel positions. The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine - allegations denied by Russia. Despite the ceasefire, the EU and US are expected to announced enhanced sanctions on Russia, targeting banking, energy and defence sectors.

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance's leaders have agreed to create a rapid response force to address the threat of aggression from Russia.Rasmussen says the force will include several thousand land troops ready to deploy within just a few days. He says the force will include land and sea assets. The force is part of a new readiness action plan that NATO leaders agreed today at a summit in Wales. Rasmussen says the plan will strengthen NATO's collective defense capabilities.