SBU hopes for progress in release of hostages after Putin-Poroshenko meeting in Milan

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) hopes for progress in the release of Ukrainians held captive by militants after a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian Presidents Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin in Milan.

"We hope that significant progress in the issue of the unimpeded and unconditional transfer of all hostages to Ukraine will be made after an upcoming meeting between Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin," an advisor to the SBU chief, Markiyan Lubkivsky, said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

"I think that an impetus can be expected after the Milan meeting," he added.

Lubkivsky said that despite the extraordinary complexity of the process of returning hostages, there is hope that "this process will soon be unblocked."

"We have every reason to state that, and there are political will and opportunities to return home all those who are illegally held by LPR and DPR militants," he said.