Putin says Macron told him Ukraine leadership is ready to implement Minsk peace deal

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had told him Ukraine’s leadership was ready to implement the Minsk peace process and was working on fresh ideas to hold elections in two breakaway regions.

In televised remarks, Putin was responding to an assessment from his special envoy on Ukraine, Dmitry Kozak, who said he believed Kyiv would never implement the peace agreements as things stand.