Updated

A spokesman for the Russian president says Vladimir Putin has discussed a peace settlement in eastern Ukraine with President Petro Poroshenko and found that they "largely share views" on ways out of the crisis.

Putin and Poroshenko met last week for talks which mainly highlighted the vastly conflicting views of the two leaders.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of sending its troops and weapons to support pro-Russian insurgents who have been fighting government troops in eastern Ukraine since mid-April. Moscow has vehemently denied this charge.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies on Wednesday that Putin and Poroshenko in a recent conversation — Peskov didn't give a date — found that they "largely share views" on what could be done to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine's east.