President Vladimir Putin's spokesman on Friday welcomed a ceasefire plan agreed by Ukraine and Kremlin-backed rebels, expressing hope that it would be implemented.

"The administration of the Russian president welcomes the signing in Minsk of a protocol as a result of consultations of the Contact Group," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

He expressed hope that the ceasefire deal would be "thoroughly implemented" and that all sides would continue talks to reach a "full settlement of the Ukraine crisis."