SOCHI, August 15 (RIA Novosti) — Russia and Finland are set to make a strong coordinated effort to end hostilities and launch a political dialogue in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
“We will do everything possible to end the military conflict as soon as possible, establish dialogue between all parties concerned and render humanitarian assistance,” Putin said after talks with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto in Sochi.
The sides expressed concern about the constant fighting in Ukraine and the subsequent humanitarian catastrophe.
“We share concerns about the large-scale military operations in Ukraine and the humanitarian catastrophe,” Putin said.
Since mid-April, Kiev has been conducting a military operation trying to suppress Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which refused to recognize the legitimacy of the country’s new government and chose to pursue independence.
Since the start of the special operation in eastern Ukraine, a total of 1,367 people have been killed and another 4,087 wounded, including 2,589 civilians and 29 children, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). At least 117,000 people have been forcibly displaced.