Putin calls Ukrainian president a 'partner' and says aid deal reached

President Vladimir Putin called his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko a "partner" and said in a televised interview recorded today that they have agreed on Russia's next aid delivery.

Putin said that his meeting with Poroshenko for marathon talks this week "was very good, that was my impression. It was quite frank," according to an extract of an interview to air in full on Channel One television on Sunday evening.

Poroshenko "in my view is the kind of partner with whom you can hold dialogue," Putin said.

The two leaders on Tuesday held their first meeting in three months in Minsk but failed to announce any concrete breakthrough.

Putin's remarks came as Kiev and the West claimed that Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine.

Putin said that a deal was reached to send aid to Ukraine.

"We agreed that we are carrying out a plan suggested by President Poroshenko to give help... to the people in need in Lugansk and in Donetsk," Putin said of the two main cities in rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine.

"We will ship food and goods needed by people by railway. That was his suggestion, I agreed with this," Putin said. He did not give any details of the route.