Putin Says Not Aware Of Details Of Medvedchuk's Plan On Donbas Settlement

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was not aware of details of the plan on settling the conflict in Donbas, proposed by the chairman of the political council of Ukraine's Opposition Platform - For Life party, Viktor Medvedchuk.

"He [Medvedchuk] told me something about his plans on Donbas. But I do not know the details. In any case, it seems to me absolutely right that he is calling for a direct dialogue with the people who live in Donbas," Putin told US film director William Oliver Stone in an interview.

The president also pointed out that the situation in Ukraine had not changed after election of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the new Ukrainian president.

"Still no. Because there was really protest voting," Putin told Stone, answering a question on whether he saw any changes in Ukraine after the recent presidential election.

Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country.

A ceasefire deal between warring parties was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy group. Despite this agreement, however, sporadic fighting continues in Donbas. To date, the situation remains tense, with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce.