Vladimir Putin agrees to go ahead in a diplomatic way

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested to his US counterpart Barack Obama in a phone call between the two leaders that the international community could examine joint steps to calm the situation in Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Mr Putin in the call also raised alarm over what he described as the “continued outbursts by extremists” in Kiev and also over the situation in the largely-Russian speaking rebel Moldovan region of Transdniestr.

The White House said earlier that Mr Putin called Mr Obama to discuss a US proposal on solving the crisis in Ukraine, after Russia seized the Black Sea region of Crimea and massed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s eastern border.

“The Russian leader suggested examining possible steps of the international community to help stabilise the situation,” the Kremlin said, without specifying the steps.

“The concrete parameters of this joint work will be discussed” by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry soon, the statement added.

In the call, Mr Putin also raised concern over the situation in Transdneistr, a sliver of Moldovan territory bordering Ukraine which broke away from control of the Moldovan government in the wake of the fall of the USSR.