US Secretary of State Kerry urges Russia to help implement Ukraine agreement

 US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Russia on Monday to help implement an international agreement on the crisis in Ukraine, the State Department said.

 Kerry spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by telephone on Monday morning, department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

 "The secretary urged Russia to take concrete steps to help implement the Geneva agreement, including publicly calling on separatists to vacate illegal buildings and checkpoints, accept amnesty and address their grievances politically," Psaki said at a news briefing.

 (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Bill Trott)