President Vladimir Putin said Friday his meeting with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko and EU leaders had been "positive," but despite his upbeat comment, there was no sign of a decisive breakthrough in solving the crisis in Ukraine.
Putin and Poroshenko shook hands briefly before the talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
"It was good, it was positive," a smiling Putin told reporters after the discussions at the margins of a summit of Asian and European leaders in Milan.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who hosted the meeting, said afterwards that some progress had been made but that "a lot of differences" remained.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.