Kerry told Russia in phone call to pull forces from Ukraine - official

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at an Atlantic Council discussion on "Trade and National Security: Renewing U.S. Leadership Through Economic Strength" in Washington April 23, 2015. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart in a phone call on Wednesday that Russia must withdraw its forces from eastern Ukraine, a senior State Department official said on Thursday. During the call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry also urged Russia to press pro-Russian rebels to abide by a February ceasefire agreement to end fighting in eastern Ukraine, the official said. Kerry told Lavrov that current U.S. training of Ukrainian National Guard units in the western part of Ukraine was "fully transparent, defensive" and at the invitation of the Ukrainian government, the official added. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Doina Chiacu)