2nd LD Writethru: Political dialogue only way out for Ukraine crisis: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Sunday that the Ukraine crisis should only be solved through political dialogue.

"I am convinced that a reliable, long-term settlement can only be achieved by establishing direct dialogue between Kiev, (the two self-proclaimed republics of) Donetsk and Lugansk," Putin said during a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Kremlin.

Putin added that it was necessary for all parties to stick to the full implementation of the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

"There are reasons to believe that the Minsk process is moving, although with difficulties," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

"The situation in southeastern Ukraine became more stable after Feb. 12 (when the Normandy format talks were held in the Belarusian capital of Minsk), despite all problems," said the president.

While expressing his hope for the working subgroups of the three-party Contact Group on the Ukraine crisis, he vowed to exert all possible influence on Donetsk and Lugansk to ensure the effective work of the subgroups.

He also noted that the success of a peaceful settlement in Ukraine depends mainly on the Kiev government, calling for constitutional reforms and economic restoration in the country.

Merkel agreed that Germany and Russia would continue to work for "the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine", and would support the monitor mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

There are possibilities of making progress to solve the Ukraine crisis, Merkel said, urging all the relevant sides to do everything possible to improve the humanitarian situation in the country's eastern Donbass regions. Endi