Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel plan to make maximum efforts to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners in Donbas.

"Poroshenko and Merkel agreed to press for the quickest release of Ukrainian hostages in Donbas and political prisoners jailed in Russia, as well as in occupied Crimea," the president's press service reported on Friday.

During talks in Brussels on Friday, the sides discussed the dangerous development of the situation in Donbas and uptick in ceasefire violations by Russian occupation forces, including shelling of civilian infrastructure, as well as the situation in eastern Ukraine generally.

The sides coordinated further steps for deploying a United Nations peacekeeping mission throughout occupied areas of Donbas, including the Ukraine-Russia border.

Poroshenko emphasized that the continuing Russian aggression in Donbas and worsening situation in Crimea required extending sectoral and economic sanctions against Russia. The leaders also discussed the next planned meeting of the Normandy Four [Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany].

Poroshenko told Merkel about reforms begun by Ukraine this fall and pledged to continue them.

As earlier reported, Poroshenko from November 23 to November 24 is on a working visit to Brussels, where he will take part in the fifth Eastern Partnership Summit.