Germany's Steinmeier warns Ukraine ceasefire is fragile

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks to reporters following a meeting of Foreign Ministers about the situation in Syria in the Manhattan borough of New York December 18, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned on Tuesday that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists was becoming more fragile.

Steinmeier, in a statement, condemned violations of the ceasefire over the Christmas holiday. "I urgently call on all sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire in the interests of people in the conflict areas," he said.