OSCE chief discusses Ukraine with Putin

Swiss President Didier Burkhalter, who is Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

The two leaders had a "detailed discussion on the situation in Ukraine," the Kremlin said in a statement. They "discussed the resources of the OSCE in the context of assistance in the settlement of the crisis in that country."

"The heads of state exchanged congratulations in connection with the bicentennial in 2014 of diplomatic relations between Russia and Switzerland. The two sides pointed out the high dynamics of bilateral cooperation and expressed a desire for further development of mutually beneficial relations, including on political levels," the statement said.