Russian President Vladimir Putin`s plans do not include so far meetings with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday, according to Russian news agency TASS.
”I don`t know that any bilateral contacts are planned,” he said, TASS wrote.
Speaking about the possibility of the two presidents` meeting in the Normandy format, with the participation of the leaders of Germany and France, he recalled Putin`s words that to this end, ”major efforts of the ministries are needed.”
”It makes sense to meet only after this work has been done, and the meeting`s possible results are clear,” Peskov said. ”We have not advanced this far yet,” he added.
Peskov also said that ”in the interests of implementing the Minsk agreements, the Russian president will be ready for such a contact.” ”But the conditions must be ripe for this and the homework should be done,” said the Kremlin spokesman.
Peskov could not remember the last time Putin and Poroshenko talked on the phone. ”It was before the sabotage in Crimea (in early August),” he said. According to Putin`s press secretary, contacts between the Russian and Ukrainian sides are minimized at present. According to him, the dialogue is conducted through the embassies. ”It is minimal,” he added.
Peskov also could not clarify whether there is progress on the issue of the appointment of Russia`s ambassador to Ukraine. ”I do not know about any developments in this sphere,” he said.
