Putin and Poroshenko start talks
The presidents of Russia and Ukraine are meeting for their first bilateral talks at a much-anticipated summit in Minsk, which many voiced hopes may help bring an end to fighting between Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko met late today in the Belarussian capital, the first such meeting between the countries’ heads of state since Ukraine’s pro-Russian ex-president was ousted from power in February.
Fighting in east Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists are battling government forces, has claimed at least 2,000 civilian lives since it began in April, according to a United Nations estimate.
