UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban discussed Ukraine, Syria and other global challenges with Putin today on the sidelines of a two-day meeting on Asian security in Shanghai.
Dujarric said the secretary-general noted that upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine "are an opportunity to move forward towards long-term peace and stability in the country." He would not give Putin's response.
On Syria, Dujarric said, Ban and Putin "discussed opportunities for a long-overdue political solution and the urgent need to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons." He gave no details.