Putin Sees 'Thaw' In Resolution Of Ukraine Conflict, Urges Sides To Engage In Direct Talks

Putin Sees 'Thaw' in Resolution of Ukraine Conflict, Urges Sides to Engage in Direct Talks

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin said after the Normandy Four summit in Paris that there is a "thaw" in the resolution of the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, and that the agreements reached prove that the resolution is moving in the right direction.

"Is there a thaw of some kind? I think yes, there is. First of all there has been an exchange of held persons, that's already been done. We have achieved a disengagement of forces at three locations, that's done. Now we have met in the Normandy format and discussed a very important spectrum of issues and have reached progress on many of them.

This has been achieved and all this gives us grounds to assume that the process is developing in the right direction," Putin said.

The Russian president added that Moscow will do everything to end the conflict in southeastern Ukraine (Donbas), but direct dialogue must be held between the conflicting sides.

"Not a single conflict in the world has ever ended without direct dialogue between the conflicting sides," Putin stressed, saying that the conflicting sides in Ukraine need to "agree between each other, so that there is direct dialogue."