EU urges Russia to use leverage to end killings in east Ukraine

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union called on Russia on Wednesday to use its leverage to ensure an immediate end to kidnappings and killings in eastern Ukraine. The EU voiced concern over the reported death of Volodymyr Rybak, a local politician from acting President Oleksander Turchinov's Batkivshchyna party, and called for an investigation. "We call on all parties to the joint Geneva statement on Ukraine to ensure its terms are fully implemented, and in particular on Russia to use its leverage to ensure an immediate end to kidnappings and killings in eastern Ukraine," Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said. (Reporting by Adrian Croft; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)