We reported earlier on the first comments Vladimir Putin made on US-Russia talks in Alaska (see post at 4.21pm).
Now, the Russian president’s office has issued Putin’s full statement which he gave to senior officials.
Here is the Kremlin leader’s full statement…
I asked you to get into a meeting to inform you about the outcomes of our delegation’s visit to Alaska, the United States.
I would like to note from the outset that the visit was timely and quite useful.
We discussed our interactions in virtually all their aspects with a focus, of course, on achieving a fair resolution of the Ukraine crisis.
We certainly had an opportunity to discuss the origins and causes of this crisis, which we did. It is the removal of these root causes that must underlie the settlement.
We did not have direct talks at this level for a long time. Let me reiterate: We had a chance to convey our position in a calm and detailed manner.
We definitely respect the US administration’s position which wants the hostilities to stop as soon as possible. So do we, and we would like to move forward with settling all issues by peaceful means.
The conversation was very frank and substantive which, in my view, moves us closer towards making necessary decisions.
Now I will give you a detailed overview of the conversation. I am ready to answer your questions if you have any.