Putin cites 'some progress' in talks with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin says there has been some progress in talks between Russia and Ukraine, as Moscow's military offensive against its neighboring country enters its third week.

"There are certain positive shifts, negotiators from our side reported to me," Putin told his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, during a televised meeting on Friday, without elaborating.

He said the talks were "now being held on an almost daily basis," adding that he would keep Lukashenko "informed" about the negotiation process.

Putin's remarks came a day after a face-to-face meeting between the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in the Turkish resort city of Antalya yielded no results.

Lower-level Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have held several rounds of talks since Moscow launched military strikes in the ex-Soviet republic on February 24. The talks have led to the opening of several humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from combat areas. But both sides have accused each other of blocking those efforts.

Putin announced a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24. The conflict has provoked a unanimous response from Western countries, which have imposed a long list of sanctions on Moscow.

Humanitarian corridors a 'bare minimum' necessity in Ukraine: NATO chief

Meanwhile on Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said establishing humanitarian corridors in Ukraine for evacuations and aid was the "bare minimum" to be done now. He added that it had been important for the top Russian and Ukrainian diplomats to meet, as he spoke on the sidelines of a forum in Turkey.

"I continue to believe it is important that we work hard for a political, diplomatic solution," Stoltenberg said. "The bare minimum is to establish humanitarian corridors where people can get out and humanitarian aid can get in."

SS