MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he was optimistic about the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
On February 12, an agreement on Ukrainian reconciliation was reached in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
"[As for the implementation of the Minsk agreements], I am more of an optimist than a pessimist," Putin said at a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
He also said that the agreement gives a chance to settle the Ukrainian crisis peacefully. The compromise reached with the agreement could even be stipulated in a UN Security Council resolution, which will make the peace deal a legal act, Putin said.
"I hope the agreements reached in Minsk will be adhered to by both sides [of the Ukrainian crisis] and we will find a way to settle this grave conflict," the Russian president said.
Putin also noted that there is a significant reduction of military activity in southeastern Ukraine.
"Regarding the hostilities [in Donbas], we [Russia] generally mark a significant, and I want to stress that, reduction of military activity there," Putin said.
Putin added that the sooner the suspension of hostilities and withdrawal of artillery is implemented in Donbas, the sooner the Ukrainian conflict will be settled.