Photos: Face-to-Face With Ukraine's Pro-Russian Separatists http://t.co/RMxlulS2jY via @mashable
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 7, 2014
Burkhalter, the OSCE rotating chairperson for 2014, arrived in Moscow today for the meeting with Putin.
The two made brief comments to the media before going into a private meeting.
Putin said he was prepared to discuss a way out of the crisis in Ukraine and told Burkhalter "I know you have your own proposals…of how to find a way out of the situation" in Ukraine.
Putin added, "Our position is known."
Burkhalter's visit comes as violence in Ukraine is increasing and spreading as Ukrainian government forces attempt to chase pro-Russian separatists from areas they control.
Forces around Mariupol police station where 16 detainees x occupied city admin bldg held. Just fired warning shots pic.twitter.com/8apTfm2enh
— Sarah Rainsford (@sarahrainsford) May 7, 2014
Traffic in central #Sloviansk, #Ukraine. Save for the rumbling of an occasional APC, city is quiet. Very quiet. pic.twitter.com/2TxhMEwqc0
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 7, 2014
Ukraine police defend police station where separatists detained. Crowd outside very angry pic.twitter.com/PLnT3Mw7g1
— Simon Denyer (@simondenyer) May 7, 2014
Jeffrey Feltman, the UN undersecretary-general for political affairs held talks today with Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague is also in Ukraine for talks with the nation's leaders.
The U.S. and European nations have increased diplomatic efforts ahead of Ukraine's May 25 presidential election.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces today pushed into the eastern port of Mariupol, occupying the town hall shortly after heavy fighting overnight. Casualties were reported.
The town hall was retaken by pro-Russia separatists after Ukrainian forces left the building.
Ukrainian troops reportedly detained Ihor Kakidzyanovk, the defense minister of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic, near Mariupol today.
Fighting was also reported around the flashpoint city of Slovyansk.
Mariupol city council building pic.twitter.com/Lp5HTHT9r6
— Simon Denyer (@simondenyer) May 7, 2014
Catherine #Ashton: #Ukraine has the right to defend its territorial integrity + have done a lot to implement what was agreed in Geneva.
— EU Delegation UA (@EUDelegationUA) May 7, 2014
Burning #Ukraine flag in front of municipal building in Mariupol, now back in pro #Russian hands. #c4news pic.twitter.com/pkYDooYTiq
— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) May 7, 2014