Talks can be starting point to settle Ukraine conflict and restore Russia-US ties: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he hoped that agreements reached at his summit with US President Donald Trump could be a launchpad for settling the Ukraine conflict and restoring ties between Russia and the US.

"I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point, not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also launch the restoration of business-like, pragmatic relations between Russia and the United States," Putin said.

He said there was enormous potential for the two countries to build a business and investment partnership in areas such as energy, technology and space exploration, and in the Arctic.

"I have every reason to believe that by moving along this path, we can reach an end to the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible," he said at a joint news conference at which the leaders did not take any questions.

Putin, however, did not specify what the two sides had agreed on.