Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump during a phone call today that Russia "will not give up its goals" in Ukraine, adding that he was open to continuing negotiations with Kiev.
"Our president also stated that Russia will pursue its goals, the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current situation," Putin's diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Regarding the Middle East, Putin said that he advocates a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
"The Russian side stressed the importance of resolving all disputed issues, differences and conflict situations exclusively through political and diplomatic means," Ushakov said.
The Kremlin earlier announced that a phone conversation between Putin and Trump had begun.
"The conversation is ongoing," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state-run TASS news agency earlier.
Bonus video:
