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Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko shows a signed landmark association agreement with the European Union during a session of the parliament in Kiev, Sept. 16, 2014. REUTERS

DONETSK, Ukraine -- Ukraine's parliament ratified an agreement to deepen economic and political ties with the European Union on Tuesday, and passed legislation to grant autonomy to the rebellious east as part of a peace deal.

The ratification vote draws a line under the issue that last year sparked Ukraine's crisis, which resulted in the ousting of the president, the annexation of Crimea by Russia and a war with the Russia-backed separatists that has killed more than 2,600 people.

Earlier in the day, the parliament in closed session approved two bills on granting greater autonomy to the rebellious regions in the east as well as amnesty for most of those involved in the fighting. The bills are part of a tenuous peace process that saw a cease-fire called on Sept. 5 but that has been repeatedly violated.

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Pro-Russian fighters square off against Ukrainian state troops for control of eastern Ukraine near the Russsian border

The city council in Donetsk says three people were killed in shelling overnight.

The EU association agreement was long sought by Ukrainians who want their country to turn westward and out of Russia's sphere of influence. After then-President Viktor Yanukovych shelved the deal last year, protests broke out that eventually spiraled into violence and led to Yanukovych fleeing the country.

In the wake of that, Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and a pro-Russia rebellion broke out in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces in April launched a military operation to put down the rebellion, which it claims gets substantial support including troops and equipment from Russia.

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Ukraine boldly goes where it tried to go before