Top diplomats meeting in Geneva have struck an agreement on de-escalating the crisis in Ukraine.  The deal includes disarming illegal militant groups and turning control of buildings held by pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine back to the government in Kiev.

“The parties agreed today that all sides must refrain from the use of violence, intimidation, or provocative actions,” said US Secretary of State John Kerry to reporters after more than six hours of talks.  “And we strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism, and religious intolerance including anti-Semitism.”

The sides – represented by Kerry, his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, and acting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia – also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe oversee the implementation of the agreed steps in Ukraine.

Lavrov referred to the breakthrough as “a compromise, of sorts.”  Ashton said the agreement contained “concrete steps that can be implemented immediately”.

It came as the situation in Eastern Ukraine worsened.  Ukrainian forces clashed with pro-Russian militants, resulting in at least three militants getting killed.  13 were injured.