Efforts to end war in Ukraine on right track: Putin

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a call with US President Donald Trump on Monday, said that efforts to end the war in Ukraine were on the right track and that Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about future peace accord.

Putin thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and said that Trump noted Russia’s support for peace, though the key question was how to move towards peace.

“We have agreed with the president of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord, defining a number of positions, such as, for example, the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement,” Putin told reporters near the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

If appropriate agreements are reached, then there could be a ceasefire, Putin said, adding that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine “gives reason to believe that we are generally on the right track.”

“I would like to note that, on the whole, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” Putin said. “We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.”