New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid out certain conditions on Monday to stop his invasion of Ukraine.
He laid out the conditions after Moscow and Kyiv held their first talks since the outbreak of war on last Thursday, which shocked the world and provoked massive diplomatic, economic, cultural and sporting backlash.
According to reports, in the meeting, both sides agreed merely to hold a second round of negotiations ''soon'', the Russian President laid out his prerequisites for ending the war in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
"Putin stressed that a settlement is possible only if Russia's legitimate security interests are unconditionally taken into account, including the recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the demilitarisation and denazification of the Ukrainian state and ensuring its neutral status," AFP reports quoted Kremlin as saying.
Fighting continued to rage during the dialogue, with at least 11 people killed by Russian attacks in Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.
More than 350 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed during the invasion, Ukraine says, while more than a half a million people have fled the country.
Also watch: