Putin talks Ukraine with world leaders in France

Moscow, June 6 (IANS/EFE) Russian president Vladimir Putin is holding talks on the Ukrainian crisis with European leaders in France, where they have gathered to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, one of the turning points of World War II.

The talks that are taking place Friday are specifically targeting the Ukraine crisis.

Putin met at noon with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russia Today reported. No further details about their meeting were revealed.

Putin also held a one-hour meeting Thursday night with his French counterpart Francois Hollande in Paris to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, press attache for Putin, said that Friday's talks were constructive and also dealt with bilateral relations.

The Russian president also contacted British Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss ways out of the Ukrainian crisis.

Ukraine has been witnessing unrest since the ouster of president Viktor Yanukovych in February, in addition to the autonomous peninsula of Crimea acceding to Russia.

--IANS/EFE

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