Putin Says Hopes Ukraine Sees Common Sense in Diplomatic Crisis
Belbek Airbase, Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin flew into annexed Crimea on Friday (19/08) and said he hoped Ukraine would see common sense when it came to resolving a diplomatic crisis with Russia sparked by allegations of a terror plot on the peninsula.
Moscow has accused Kiev of sending saboteurs into Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, to carry out a series of bombings. Kiev has flatly denied that.
"I hope that this (the alleged plot) won't be a final choice ... and that common sense will prevail," Putin told a meeting with his Security Council.
"We are not going to cut (diplomatic) ties despite the unwillingness of the current authorities in Kiev to have fully-fledged diplomatic ties at ambassador level. We will nonetheless create the possibilities for contacts to develop."
Putin said he and his officials would discuss what extra security measures needed to be taken to ensure Crimea was better protected in future.
Reuters
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