The Russian parliament nixed a resolution Wednesday that would have allowed military intervention in Ukraine at the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Putin demanded the cancellation of the resolution in an attempt to show Moscow's willingness to ease tensions with Ukraine, which Moscow hopes will prompt the West to ease economic sanctions on the country. According to The Associated Press, Putin made the request Tuesday to help facilitate the cease-fire in Ukraine, which Ukraine recently implemented in an attempt to end more than two months of fighting in the country. 

Putin will need to support Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's cease-fire plan before Friday's European Union summit to avoid more sanctions from the European Union. The E.U. has said that it will impose more sanctions if Russia does not aid in Ukraine's peace process. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that Russia's latest move is an "important psychological point," but cautioned that attaining peace will be a slow process. She said that in the meantime, the E.U. is prepared to levy more sanctions on Russia. 

Merkel, who had a phone call with Poroshenko and French President Francois Hollande Wednesday, said the E.U. will try to help come up with a peaceful solution to the crisis, but that sanctions "could return to the daily agenda" at the "third level" if the situation does not improve. 

Previously, the U.S. and E.U. waged two rounds of sanctions on Russia, including asset freezes and travel bans on members of Putin's top advisors. The next round of sanctions could impose stringent economic sanctions on the whole country, which could have devastating effects. 

NATO said Wednesday that there aren't any signs that Russia is honoring its promises to Ukraine. 

"So today we will review our relations with Russia and decide what to do next," Anders Fogh Rasmussen said at the foreign ministers meeting, according to The Associated Press. 

The foreign ministers also discussed how NATO could help build up Ukraine's military capabilities by creating trust funds. 

An alliance official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the trust funds for Ukraine would help pay for improving Ukraine's cyberdefense, logistics, and the command and control of military forces, in addition to the resettling of soldiers who had to vacate their barracks. The funds would not pay for lethal weapons. 

Russia also tried to ease tensions Tuesday by urging Ukraine to extend the cease-fire and talk with the pro-Russian rebels who have been waging violence in Ukraine's eastern provinces for more than two months. Putin said that telling the rebels to lay down their arms in one week is not realistic, as they will still be fearful of government force. He also called on Ukraine to implement constitutional reforms to protect Russian speakers in east Ukraine. 

On Wednesday, Poroshenko said he would draft constitutional amendments that grant more powers to the eastern regions. 

While a cease-fire was implemented, it has since been broken by violent clashes. It was broken Tuesday when rebels shot down a military helicopter, which killed nine military troops. The attack came a day after the cease-fire went into effect.

Poroshenko said he may have to end the truce due to the violations of the cease-fire. 

William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, said that the latest rebel incident is evidence of a lack of support of the cease-fire from Russia. 

"We urge Russia to take the necessary actions to stop the flow of arms across the border, to stop supporting illegally armed separatist groups in Eastern Ukraine, because in absence of actions by Russia the case for stronger sanctions from European Union nations will of course become stronger," Hague told The AP.

Russia used military force in Ukraine in March to annex Crimea, which followed the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. 

Pro-Russia militants then began waging war in east Ukraine in an attempt to make the regions autonomous. Shortly after, the regions were declared independent in a referendum vote.