Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s extended cease-fire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of his country ended on Monday night, and he vowed to renew military operations against the rebels whom he blamed for failing to both keep to the truce and follow his path to peace.

“We will attack and free our lands.  The decision not to continue the ceasefire is our answer to terrorists, militants and marauders,” Poroshenko said in a televised statement made shortly after a four-way telephone talk with Russian president Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande.  Putin and Poroshenko agreed to work on a new truce.

But Kiev had accused the separatists of numerous violations of the ceasefire, and said that 27 service-members had been killed since the ceasefire began on June 20.  They were the latest in the fighting that has killed more than 400 people since April.

European leaders and the US have repeatedly urged Russia to use its influence with the rebels to ease the bloodshed and have threatened to impose another round of economic sanctions against Moscow.  The Kremlin has replied that it has limited influence over the pro-Moscow rebels.