Ukraine War News Updates -- March 4, 2015

Deutsche Welle: Merkel warns Russia of new sanctions if Ukraine ceasefire violated

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Russia to live up to the Ukraine peace agreement it backed in Minsk last month or face tougher sanctions. She said the EU stands ready to impose new measures if needed.

Merkel told reporters that the immediate task at hand was to stop the bloodletting in eastern Ukraine, where a fragile ceasefire is largely holding despite some violations since the Minsk agreement signed in February.

She underlined that "if Minsk doesn't work, then the member states and the European Commission are quite prepared to take tougher sanctions."

Ukraine War News Updates -- March 4, 2015

EU ready with sanctions if Ukraine ceasefire violated, Merkel says -- Reuters
Western leaders hint at more Russian sanctions over Ukraine -- Reuters
Western Leaders Discuss Ukraine Crisis -- WSJ
Obama huddles with allies on Ukraine crisis -- USA Today
Obama, European leaders discuss fresh Russia sanctions over Ukraine, boosting monitors -- AP
West vow 'strong' response if major Ukraine truce violation -- AFP
More Violence Reported In East Ukraine Despite Truce -- Radio Free Europe
Ukraine says three soldiers killed by Russian-backed militants in the past 24 hours -- Ukraine Today
Ukraine replenishes Donbass tank supplies amid ceasefire -- RT
Donetsk republic registers 25 violations of ceasefire since Tuesday afternoon -- ITAR-TASS
Separatists accuse Ukraine troops of blockading rebel regions -- Euronews
Kiev Begins Second Stage of Withdrawing Heavy Arms in East Ukraine -- Sputnik
Kiev to pull back more military equipment from Donbas demarcation line — spokesman -- ITAR-TASS
Ukraine Withdraws Weapons Amid Debt Restructuring Moves -- Bloomberg
About 12,000 Russian Troops in Ukraine, Says U.S. Commander -- Moscow Today/Reuters
US Army Europe commander says 12,000 Russian troops are in Ukraine -- Ukraine Today
US suspends Ukrainian military training -- World Bulletin
US ambassador to Ukraine: Obama still weighing whether to send arms to Ukraine -- AP
Ukraine crisis: The key role of the 'steel city' of Mariupol -- BBC
Cease-fires Haven’t Halted ‘Merciless Devastation of Civilian Lives’ in Ukraine, U.N. Says -- Newsweek
The war in the Ukraine is very different from that in Bosnia -- Stephen Holmes, The Daily Star