Putin and Pope Leo discuss Ukraine war, as pontiff presses for peace
Vladimir Putin discussed the war in Ukraine with Pope Leo in a telephone call on Wednesday, with the Kremlin claiming the Russian president wanted peace through diplomacy.
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Putin however also claimed 'the regime in Kyiv is betting on an escalation of the conflict and carrying out of acts of sabotage against civil infrastructure on Russian territory', it said in a statement.
In the phone call, Putin 'reaffirmed his interest in bringing about peace by political and diplomatic means', the Kremlin said, describing the call as 'constructive'.
He did so 'underlining that in order to come to a definitive, just and comprehensive settlement to the crisis, it was necessary to eliminate the deep-seated causes'.
That evoked language typically used to refer to a mix of sweeping demands regularly put forward by Russia, including limiting Ukraine's military, banning the country from joining Nato and massive territorial concessions.
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Ukraine has rejected those calls and demanded an unconditional ceasefire, which Russia refuses.
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