Vice President Joe Biden spoke today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko regarding the situation in the east, additional non-lethal U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and new sanctions on Russian-backed separatists and their supporters. The Vice President noted with concern the ongoing violations of the ceasefire by Russia-backed separatists near Donetsk and Mariupol and their refusal to allow OSCE monitors unfettered access to the territory they occupy.