Rebels agree to 'humanitarian corridor' for trapped Ukraine forces

Amid the ongoing tension, Kiev indicated Friday that it might seek to join NATO in a bid to defend itself against what it sees as Russian aggression. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that a bill had been sent to parliament in Kiev to repeal the country’s “non-bloc status,” the Interfax news agency reported.

As to the estimated 7,000 government troops trapped in several locations in the rebel-held Donbass region, there was no immediate reaction from the Kiev government to the “humanitarian corridor” offer.

Putin called on separatists to give the troops “the opportunity to leave the combat area unimpeded and reunite with their families, to return them to their mothers, wives, and children, and to quickly provide medical assistance to those who were injured in the course of the military operation.”

Hours after Putin’s request, Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the main rebel entity in eastern Ukraine, told a Russian television station his forces were ready to let the encircled Ukrainian troops pull out. But he added that they would have to leave behind their heavy armored vehicles and ammunition.

Kiev has accused Russian troops of illegally entering eastern Ukraine and, backed by its U.S. and European allies, has said it will fight to defend its soil. Allegations that Moscow has pushed troops and weapons into the former Soviet republic to shore up the separatist rebellion could sharply escalate the five-month conflict over eastern Ukraine.

But Moscow has denied any reports of an invasion, saying no facts about the Russian military being present on Ukrainian territory have been presented.

“There have been reports about satellite imagery exposing Russian troop movements. They turned out to be images from video games. The latest accusations happen to be much the same quality,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said Friday according to Russia Today.

Meanwhile, Russian media has reported that over 60 Ukrainian troops crossed the border into Russia, saying it was the latest in a series of crossings and that over 500 soldiers had crossed into Russia since July seeking shelter and medical help.

The U.S is considering a number of options in response to Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine and believes increasing sanctions are the "most effective tool," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jean Osaki said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a European Union summit this the weekend would discuss the possibility of further punitive measures.

Fighting in the east erupted in April, a month after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in response to the toppling of a pro-Moscow president in Kiev.

A United Nations report this week said more than 2,200 people have been killed in the fighting, not including the 298 who died when a Malaysian airliner was shot down over rebel-held territory in July.

Al Jazeera and wire services