(VOVworld) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that Ukrainian forces resumed the offensive against separatists beginning Tuesday. In the statement published on Poroshenko’s website hours after the ceasefire expired on Monday night, he said: “After discussion of the situation, I, as commander in chief, took the decision not to continue the unilateral ceasefire. We will attack and we will free our country. Ending the ceasefire is our answer to terrorists, armed insurgents, and looters”.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko walks at the military camp near the town of Svyatogorsk in Eastern Ukraine. (Photo: Reuters)

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Poroshenko to extend the ceasefire to open possibility for talks with rebels in Ukraine’s southeastern region. His call followed a phone conversation of Putin, Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande.