Dmitry Peskov

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the Ukraine crisis began in late 2013.

International payments systems Visa and Mastercard are to continue operating in Russia following a new agreement with Moscow, media reports suggest.

Russia's daily Kommersant argues that most arrangements were made around the International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg.

Russia "respects will of people in Donetsk and Lugansk"

MOSCOW -- Moscow "hopes that the referendums in the Donetsk and Lugansk will result in a civilized dialogue between representatives of Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk."

This was announced by the Kremlin press service on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has flown to the Crimean Peninsula, which was absorded by Russia from Ukraine, as part of Victory Day celebrations.

It is the first time the President goes to Crimea after it became part of the Russian Federation following a local referendum.

Ukrainain special forces claimed Friday to control "half of Slaviansk", hours after Kiev renewed its operation against pro-Russian separatists.

Officials from the Security Service of Ukraine regained significant parts of the city in what authorities describe as an "anti-terrorist" operation.

Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov demanded of the armed separatists in eastern Ukraine to surrender immediately. 

According to reports in Russian-language media, he also demanded that they  release the hostages, vacate the occupied administrative buildings and terminate “riots and looting”. 

Acting Ukrainian president in favor of talks

KIEV -- Acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has stressed that any talks on Ukraine's crisis are better than war.