Ukraine leader says he hopes 'fragile truce' will hold

President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine speaks during a World Leaders Forum at Columbia University in New York, September 29, 2015. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

ASTANA (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko struck a conciliatory tone on Friday in his comments on Russia and Moscow-backed rebels during his visit to Kazakhstan, the Kremlin's ally in Central Asia.

"Few had believed this (but) we did our best and, as a result of our efforts, guns have been silent for more than two weeks and this gives grounds for cautious optimism with regard to the implementation of other parts of the Minsk agreements," Poroshenko said at a meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, referring to a ceasefire in Ukraine's east.