U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over telephone about the deal reached between Ukrainian government and opposition and agreed that it should be implemented quickly.
During the conversation, the two leaders said that it was very important to encourage all sides to refrain from violence. Mr. Putin affirmed that Russia wants to remain part of the implementation process.
They also talked about the need to stabilise the Ukrainian economy and to get Ukraine back on a peaceful path. And on both sides, there was a pledge to stay engaged along with the Europeans, a senior U.S. official said.
The White House said the two leaders besides exchanging views on Ukraine also spoke about the situation in Syria, concerns over the humanitarian crisis and the necessity of a strong UN Security Council resolution on the issue.
In addition, they discussed U.S.-Russian cooperation in the P5+1 process on Iran. The President also congratulated Russia on its hosting of the Olympic Games, the White House said.
