Vladimir Putin will hold an informal meeting with the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on May 8 in Moscow. The visiting leaders will also be present at a Russian Armed Forces command exercise.

The meeting is expected to focus on the crisis in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law On Accession of the Russian Federation to the UNIDROIT (International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) Convention on International Factoring.

Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law On Ratification of the Agreement between the Commonwealth of Independent States’ Member Countries on Interstate Search for People.

As previously agreed, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.

Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai in connection with the numerous casualties and damage caused by a landslide in the Badakhshan province.

The President is following closely developments in southeast Ukraine, where a military operation is taking place against supporters of federalisation.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel at the German side’s initiative.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron on the British side’s initiative.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi.

Vladimir Putin met at the Kremlin with Crown Prince of Bahrain, Deputy Chief Commander of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

A summit meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council was held in Minsk. Taking part were President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

At Germany’s initiative, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.

Vladimir Putin answered questions from the anchor of TV current affairs programme Vesti v Subbotu Sergei Brilev. The interview was recorded on April 17, immediately after the Direct Line with Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Putin met with permanent members of the Security Council to discuss the current situation in Ukraine in light of the previous day’s talks in Geneva and the agreements they produced.

Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to Mercedes Barcha Pardo following the death of her husband, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to President of the Republic of Korea Park Geun-hye following the sinking of the passenger ferry Sewol, which has claimed many lives. Many schoolchildren were among the victims.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the Turkish side’s initiative.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on the Israeli side’s initiative.