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Ukraine crisis: Putin-EU talks 'positive but hard' Ukraine crisis: Putin-EU talks 'positive but hard'
(35 minutes later)
Russia's president and EU leaders have said their talks on the Ukraine crisis - also including Ukraine's president - were positive but difficult.Russia's president and EU leaders have said their talks on the Ukraine crisis - also including Ukraine's president - were positive but difficult.
The UK, German, French and Italian leaders were expected to press Vladimir Putin to do more to end the fighting. The EU leaders pressed Vladimir Putin to do more to end fighting in the east.
Correspondents say that while there was no sign of breakthrough, the main thing was to create trust between the sides.
The West says Russia is arming separatist rebels and sending troops to eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this.The West says Russia is arming separatist rebels and sending troops to eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this.
The EU insists that sanctions it introduced against Russia over its involvement in the crisis will remain until Moscow takes action to defuse the crisis. After a second round of talks, Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko said outlines of a deal to resolve a gas dispute with Russia had been agreed.
"We have agreed on the main parameters of the contract," Mr Poroshenko said.
Most Russian gas supplies to Europe are delivered via Ukraine, and Mr Putin has warned Europe of "major transit risks" unless Ukraine settles the row.
Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine in the summer, accusing Kiev of failing to pay its debts. Ukraine says the price set by Moscow is unfair.
The gas row came amid worsening relations between the two countries, after Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in March and the seizure by separatists of parts of eastern Ukraine a month later.
More than 3,600 people have been killed since the fighting erupted in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in April.
Ukraine and the rebels agreed a truce in September, but each side accuses the other of repeated shelling.Ukraine and the rebels agreed a truce in September, but each side accuses the other of repeated shelling.
The separatists control parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Among other points, the plan envisages the withdrawal of heavy weaponry by each side to a distance of 15km (10 miles) from the line of contact, and the withdrawal of all foreign "mercenaries" from the conflict zone.
More than 3,600 people have been killed since the fighting erupted in April, following the annexation by Russia of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsular a month earlier.
'Full of misunderstandings''Full of misunderstandings'
Mr Putin met his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko and EU leaders on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe (Asem) summit in the northern Italian city of Milan. The talks took place on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Europe (Asem) summit in Milan, Italy, which brings together more than 50 member states.
The other participants in the meeting included UK Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Other participants in the meeting included UK Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
Mr Putin told reporters as he left the meeting that the talks were "good" and "positive", but his spokesman later described them as being "full of misunderstandings". The talks were seen as an attempt to put pressure on Mr Putin to take more steps to end the conflict.
The EU insists that sanctions it introduced against Russia over its involvement in the crisis will remain until Moscow takes action to defuse it.
Mr Putin told reporters as he left the meeting that the talks were "good" and "positive", but his spokesman described them as being "full of misunderstandings".
"Unfortunately, some participants of [the Milan] breakfast demonstrated complete unwillingness to understand the reality in south-eastern Ukraine," Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by Russian media."Unfortunately, some participants of [the Milan] breakfast demonstrated complete unwillingness to understand the reality in south-eastern Ukraine," Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by Russian media.
In a brief news conference after the talks, Italian Prime Minister Renzi said they were constructive but big differences remained. In a brief news conference after the talks, Mr Renzi said they were constructive but big differences remained.
"I think we made a step ahead," he said."I think we made a step ahead," he said.
Minsk memorandum: Key points
"I would underline the real desire to find a solution and we can be positive.""I would underline the real desire to find a solution and we can be positive."
Meanwhile the UK prime minister said Mr Putin had made it clear he did not want a frozen conflict or a divided Ukraine.Meanwhile the UK prime minister said Mr Putin had made it clear he did not want a frozen conflict or a divided Ukraine.
But David Cameron added that the sanctions would be kept in place until actions agreed as part of a peace plan last month in the Belarusian capital Minsk were taken.But David Cameron added that the sanctions would be kept in place until actions agreed as part of a peace plan last month in the Belarusian capital Minsk were taken.
Later Mr Putin met the Ukrainian, French and German leaders again.
The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Milan says the talks were an unusual opportunity for the sides to get talking and build some sort of trust, which has so far been severely lacking.The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Milan says the talks were an unusual opportunity for the sides to get talking and build some sort of trust, which has so far been severely lacking.
Minsk memorandum: Key points
President Poroshenko met Ms Merkel ahead of Friday's talks, with both expressing regret that many points of the peace plan "had not yet been implemented", German government sources were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Ms Merkel also met Mr Putin for two-and-a-half hours late at night on Thursday after the Russian president arrived late for the summit.
Among other points, the plan envisages the withdrawal of heavy weaponry 15km (10 miles) by each side from the line of contact and the withdrawal of all foreign "mercenaries" from the conflict zone.
Earlier this week, Mr Putin ordered the withdrawal of nearly 18,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border.Earlier this week, Mr Putin ordered the withdrawal of nearly 18,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border.
However, Nato says it has seen no sign of any major Russian pullback.However, Nato says it has seen no sign of any major Russian pullback.
Gas concern
Speaking ahead of the Milan talks, Mr Putin said he would not be blackmailed by the EU and US over the Ukrainian crisis.
In what was seen as a direct reference to US President Barack Obama, the Russian leader warned of "what discord between large nuclear powers can do to strategic stability".
In Milan, Mr Putin is also expected to discuss Russian gas supplies to Europe. Most of the gas is delivered via Ukraine.
The Russian president has already warned that Europe faced "major transit risks" unless Ukraine settled its gas row with Moscow.
Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine in the summer, accusing Kiev of failing to pay its debts. Ukraine says the price set by Moscow is unfair.
The two-day Asem summit brings together more than 50 member states.