The next meeting in the Normandy format, which may take place in April to promote the Donbas settlement, will be relevant if positive changes occur in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his end-of-year press conference on Thursday.

"As for the next meeting, which is due in April, it will be relevant if some positive changes occur. Are there any changes of the sort or not? There are. We need to be objective about that," Putin said.

The president mentioned the extended law on the special status of Donbas amongst the positive changes. "The foundation of the settlement process still exists; it has not been lost," he said.

In addition, forces have been pulled out of several major areas, "although, truth be told, our partners in Ukraine do not want disengagement to happen along the whole contact line for some reason. I believe this is a mistake, but that's how they feel," Putin said.