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UN Security Council to meet on Ukraine Friday

Two Pro-Russian rebel tanks are parked by a destroyed children's playground at the entrance to the airport in Donetsk, Ukraine, on February 26, 2015

The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency session on Friday on the ceasefire deal in eastern Ukraine that is showing tentative signs of taking hold, diplomats said. France and Germany requested the meeting of the 15-member council as Ukraine's military began withdrawing heavy weapons from the frontline and fighting with pro-Russian rebels appeared to subside. It will be the first session of the Security Council since it met on February 17 to endorse the ceasefire deal reached in Minsk between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany. Council members will hear a report from two representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on the situation on the ground, before holding talks behind closed doors. The top UN body has held some 30 meetings on the conflict in Ukraine that has left close to 5,800 dead since the war began in April.