The foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France say they have agreed on steps aimed at ending hostilities in eastern Ukraine, according to BBC News.

Following talks in the German capital on Wednesday, July 2 the foreign ministers said they had agreed to hold three-way talks that includes the pro-Russian activists "no later than July 5".

"We propose to achieve this through a meeting soon of the Contact Group, which - we hope - will hold a meeting in coming days and agree on the conditions for truce that would satisfy all sides," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after talks concluded.

The contact group represents Ukraine, Russia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Germany's Walter Steinmeier said they agreed in talks in Berlin on a "package of measures" that paves the way for a bilateral ceasefire.

Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin, however, warned that all hostages must be released and that Ukraine should be given greater control of its borders to stop insurgents receiving fresh fighters and weapons.

Fighting in eastern Ukraine has increased since a shaky 10-day ceasefire expired on Monday. Hundreds have been killed since a pro-Russian movement began in the east. At least nine civilians were reported dead in an attack on a village in the Luhansk region on Wednesday, which the Ukrainian army and activists blamed on each other.