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Putin meets with Ukrainian, European leaders for deal over Ukraine

Associated Press
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, front left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, center, and French President Francois Hollande arrive for a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders in Milan, northern Italy, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to get relief from Western economic sanctions imposed since Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a pro-Russia insurgency in eastern Ukraine. To that end, he has scheduled a series of meetings on the sidelines of a two-day ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders. (AP Photo/Daniel Dal Zennaro, POOL) (The Associated Press)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrive for a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders in Milan, northern Italy, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to get relief from Western economic sanctions imposed since Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a pro-Russia insurgency in eastern Ukraine. To that end, he has scheduled a series of meetings on the sidelines of a two-day ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders. (AP Photo/Daniel Dal Zennaro, POOL) (The Associated Press)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrive for a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders in Milan, northern Italy, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to get relief from Western economic sanctions imposed since Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a pro-Russia insurgency in eastern Ukraine. To that end, he has scheduled a series of meetings on the sidelines of a two-day ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders. (AP Photo/Daniel Dal Zennaro, POOL) (The Associated Press)

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and key Western leaders in an attempt to negotiate a full end to hostilities in Ukraine that could ease sanctions against Russia.

Putin met separately overnight with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has insisted that Russia fully respect a Ukraine cease-fire deal signed last month that has reduced hostilities but not stopped all fighting.

The Kremlin, in a readout on the nearly 2½-hour meeting, said the leaders emphasized the need to separate the warring sides in eastern Ukraine and talked about monitoring the cease-fire. They continued to disagree on the roots of the conflict.

The meetings Friday are on the sidelines of an ASEM summit of more than 50 Asian and European leaders in the Italian city of Milan.