Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan is the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (photo. osce.org)

Apakan urged all parties involved in the conflict to stop shelling residential areas, and establish a temporary truce that would allow the immediate evacuation of civilians. He said the OSCE mission is ready to facilitate and support the truce which should take effect immediately and stay in place for at least three days.  

Meanwhile US Vice President Joe Biden headed to the Europe Thursday and Ukraine is his first destination. Biden will meet top German and Ukrainian leaders this week to discuss ways to stop the escalating violence in Ukraine.