Dmitry Peskov

Putin meets with Merkel and Poroshenko

MILAN -- Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Milan with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Putin and Merkel stated that there are still serious differences in their opinions regarding the Ukrainian crisis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko late on Thursday.

Merkel's initiative on the sidelines the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Milan, hours before Putin and Poroshenko are expected to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

Up to twelve people could have died in the city of Donetsk in Ukraine's east since Saturday, according to various reports.

Donetsk's city council said in a statement on Sunday that four were killed and 11 left wounded after heavy fighting. A few hours later it announced the situation had deescalated.

Moscow could introduce a special regime to manage its segment of the Internet, Russian media reports suggest.

Tests conducted by the Ministry of Communications have suggested the segment is "vulnerable" and measures to minimize risks are now on the table, daily Vedomosti has reported.

Beleaguered Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced Sept. 3 that he and Russia's Vladimir Putin had agreed a surprise truce in Ukraine's four-month war with pro-Moscow rebels.

The Kremlin said on Sept. 3 President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko had agreed on steps towards peace in eastern Ukraine but a ceasefire had not been agreed between Moscow and Kiev because Russia is not a party to the conflict.

Agreement on new shipment of humanitarian aid

MINSK -- Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that Moscow should send humanitatrian aid to Ukraine.

According to reports, this will happen under the auspices of the ICRC and in cooperation with Kiev.

Putin to meet with CU, EU officials, Poroshenko

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a meeting of heads of the Customs Union members with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko in Minsk on August 26.

This was announced on Tuesday by Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, ITAR-TASS reported.

A Russian convoy of 280 trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Ukraine set off on Tuesday amid Western warnings against using help as a pretext for an invasion.
   

Russia denies considering strikes

MOSCOW -- The Kremlin denied on Monday a report that Moscow was considering targeted strikes against Ukraine, AFP said.

The report in the daily Kommersant suggested that this option was on the table after shells landed across the border and killed a Russian civilian.