Putin's appeal to cancel decision on using Russian troops in Ukraine first step towards settlement - Poroshenko
KYIV. June 24 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko considers the appeal of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Federation Council regarding the withdrawal of permission to use the army in Ukraine to be the first step towards settling the situation in eastern Ukraine, Poroshenko's press office said.
"The Ukrainian president considers the appeal of Vladimir Putin to the Federation Council - on cancelling the decision to use the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine of March 1, 2014 - to be the first practical step after the official support of the Russian president of the Ukrainian plan to settle the situation in Donbas," the press office said.
Poroshenko also asked Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksandr Turchynov to discuss with Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko the possibility of this issue being considered at the next session of the upper house of the Russian parliament.
Earlier on Tuesday Russian President Vladimir Putin asked the Federation Council to revoke the March 1 decree regarding the use of the Russian army in Ukraine. The Federation Council intends to back the president's decision at its session on June 25.