Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko held their first meeting since June, resulting in two hours of late-night talks to work on an urgent ceasefire plan to defuse the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Putin described the talks as “positive”, but said the truce talks are between Kiev and the rebels in the east. 

“We didn't substantively discuss that, and we, Russia, can’t substantively discuss conditions of a ceasefire, of agreements between Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk.  That’s not our business, it’s up to Ukraine itself,” Putin said early on Wednesday.

Kiev, The US, UK, and several European nations accuse Russia of arming the rebels at the very least, and possibly directing them.

President Poroshenko said the one-on-one talks were “very tough and complex”.  He said that a “roadmap will be prepared in order to achieve as soon as possible a ceasefire regime which absolutely must be bilateral in character.”