Russia said yesterday it wanted to see a bigger European monitoring mission in Ukraine to help oversee withdrawal of mortars, tanks and light artillery under recent agreements. Russia's backing for an expanded Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission may be a further sign it wanted to see the peace process succeed, an outcome that could eventually lead to Western sanctions against Russia being eased.

The R foreign ministry ministry made the statement ahead of Moscow talks tomorrow between Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier.