Hollande Says Going to Ukraine Talks 'with Strong Will' for Deal

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday he was going to Minsk with the "strong will" to achieve a peace deal on Ukraine at a four-way summit also attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Russian and Ukrainian leaders were also due to be present at the meeting in the Belarusian capital Wednesday, as fighting rages on in the east of Ukraine.

"The chancellor and myself will be particularly active until the last moment of this meeting so that there can be a deal, a global settlement," he told reporters.

Casualties from the 10-month war in Ukraine are ever-increasing, and at least 5,400 people have been killed since April.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Paris was calling for an immediate ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east.

"It's Europe's security that is at stake," he told parliament.