Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame called for a ceasefire in eastern Congo on Tuesday during their first meeting since M23 rebels stepped up an offensive there in January.

Belgium, Rwanda’s former colonial ruler, pushed for the European Union to impose sanction against Rwandan officials over their role in invading eastern Congo and plundering its mineral wealth.

The rebel alliance, of which M23 is a member, says it was withdrawing from what could have been the two sides’ first direct negotiations because of sanctions imposed against M23 and Rwandan officials