Kerry to discuss separatist conflict, reforms, with Ukraine

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (R) walks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during their meeting in Kiev, Ukraine July 7, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KIEV (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned on Thursday that the Minsk peace deal on Ukraine was doomed to fail unless "real security" was restored in eastern Ukraine where government forces are pitted against Russian-backed separatists.

The Minsk agreement was negotiated by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in February 2015 to end the fighting which broke out in eastern Ukraine after the fall of a Moscow-backed president and the arrival in power of a pro-Western leadership.