Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias communicated via phone on Saturday evening with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

During their conversation, they reportedly discussed developments in Ukraine in light of the recent Minsk agreement and the ceasefire that went into effect yesterday at midnight.

They also discussed relations with Russia, following Kotzias’s recent visit to Moscow.

The Greek FM briefed his US counterpart on the recent initiative with regard to protection of Christian populations in the Middle East, which was discussed, following a Greek initiative, at last Monday’s meeting of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers, in Brussels.

Kotzias also briefed Mr. Kerry on Greece’s efforts to reach an agreement with its partners on a program that will end austerity, meet the country’s reform needs, confront the “humanitarian crisis” and jump-start the economy.

Kerry reiterated the support Washington for the success of the efforts of Greece with its European partners, to find a mutually acceptable program for exiting the crisis.