Updated 9:49 p.m. Moscow Time
MILAN, October 17 (RIA Novosti) – The law granting special status to some parts of Ukraine's southeastern regions (Donbas) is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
"Perhaps this is not an ideal document, but it is a step in the right direction and we expect that this too, will be used in the final solution to security problems," Putin told journalists in Milan after meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
The Ukrainian parliament approved the law on self-administration in parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions on September 16. The law was signed by the Ukrainian President on Thursday.
According to the legislation, which guarantees people the right to use Russian or any other language, local elections are to take place in the areas on December 7.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR, LPR) have stressed that they want full independence from Ukraine and have set elections of regional leaders and legislative bodies for November 2.
