Putin in Kazakhstan for talks

Russian president Vladimir Putin has met with the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and the president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

DUring the meeting, President Putin suggested creating a regional currency union for the three countries.

Talks also covered general unity between the three neighbours in the face of the Ukranain crisis, sanctions against Russia, and the falling prices of gas and oil. But naturally, said Putin, Ukraine was high on the agenda: “Of course, we have discussed the situation in Ukraine. Thanks to the agreement reached in Minsk on 12th February, a possibility has appeared to de-escalate the conflict. We expect Kiev authorities to follow Minsk agreements.”

In Ukraine itself, most heavy weapons have been withdrawn from the front line as required by the ceasefire agreements and the agreement appears to be holding, despite sporadic outbreaks of violence around Donetsk airport and near some villages in the