MILAN, October 17. /TASS/. Minsk accords are not implemented in full by the both sides in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin said following a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko behind closed doors in Italy's Milan at the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
“The landmark for Ukraine’s settlement must be the Minsk agreements,” Putin told reporters after the Asia-Europe Meeting summit. “Unfortunately, these agreements are not being implemented by the both sides, either by Novorossiya’s militias or by Ukraine’s representatives."
Russia is ready to contribute to searching for solutions, the Russian leader stressed. "We will be trying to assist, mediate and find acceptable solutions," Putin told reporters.
The Russian president said he insisted on the soonest possible drawing of demarcation line between the conflicting sides in Ukraine. "The line of disengagement should be installed through to the end and it will give an opportunity to stop the shelling of civilians and the deaths of innocent people and should be done as soon as possible," he told reporters.
{article_photo:755062:'Russia, Ukraine come closer to resolving gas dispute — Hollande':'left':'50'}Progress on gas issues
Putin said certain progress was made on gas issues. The conditions of gas supplies to Ukraine in winter were agreed, Putin added. Russia is ready to make concessions to Ukraine on its gas debt and hopes that the European Union will lend its shoulder to Ukraine and help it overcome its cash deficiency, he noted.
Poroshneko said on Friday he hoped to reach gas agreements with Russia before a meeting between representatives from Kiev, Moscow and Brussels due on October 21 in Brussels.
“We have failed to reach any practical solutions at a meeting with Putin. But we hope that before a meeting in Brussels on October 21, we will find solutions to all problems. We do have certain progress but some details are yet to be discussed,” Poroshenko said after his his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sanctions not deciding factor
Western sanctions are not deciding factor of the deterioration of economy, the problem is stagnation of the world economy, Putin stated.
The Bank of Russia will pursue a well-considered policy, it will use the floating rate elements and will not allow burning out resources which Russia has in sufficient amounts to stabilize markets, the president noted.
President Vladimir Putin said he believes the fall of prices to very low levels is unlikely but he is prepared to unseal the country’s reserves. “These are just speculations so far and prices have rolled downhill much steeper on some occasions in the past and so let’s proceed from this. Just in case, we’ll unseal our reserves,” he told reporters.