Putin, Poroshenko discuss steps to stop bloodshed in Ukraine’s southeast

Russia September 03, 2014, 10:33

According to presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s view on possible ways out of this crisis situation largely coincides with that of the Ukrainian president

MOSCOW, September 03. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, the Russian presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday.

“[The two leaders] continued to discuss Ukraine’s military and humanitarian crisis,” Peskov said.

“The heads of state exchanged their views on top priority measures for stopping the bloodshed in that country’s south-east,” the press secretary said. “[Putin’s] view on possible ways out of this crisis situation largely coincides with that of the Ukrainian president.”

Overnight to August 27, after consultations involving Customs Union, Ukraine and the EU, a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine took place in Minsk. The conversation behind closed doors lasted for almost two hours and became the first negotiations between the two leaders. Before that, Putin and Poroshenko contacted in Normandy in June 2014, but then it was a brief talk “on the move” with participation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. In addition, the two presidents had telephone conversations.

Upon results of the meeting in Minsk, Putin told journalists that the conversation touched upon the whole specter of the Russia-Ukraine relations, including economic cooperation, the situation in Ukraine’s southeast, the necessity to stop bloodshed as soon as possible and the political settlement of the whole complex of issues.

Later, Dmitry Peskov specified that no further meeting with Poroshenko was on the agenda of Putin so far.

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