German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have urged both sides in eastern Ukraine to live up to cease-fire agreements amid a recent upswing in clashes between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces.<br/><br/>The statement comes a day after US officials said they will begin sending lethal weapons, including anti-tank missiles, to equip Ukrainian troops. Merkel and Macron yesterday issued a joint statement urging combatants to observe the Minsk agreements aimed at defusing the conflict. <br/><br/>The two leaders also urged the return of Russian military officers to a joint coordination center that plays a role in monitoring the cease-fire. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, Ukraine's president thanked the United States yesterday for its decision to provide lethal weapons to the country, while diplomats in Russia warned that the move would only cause more bloodshed. Fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.