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The D-Day remembrance ceremonies at Normandy on Friday also served as the backdrop to a number of high-profile – and highly awkward meetings — between the assembled world leaders. Most of them involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The two meetings that most observers were wondering about did indeed come to pass. Putin was photographed speaking to Ukrainian President-elect Petro Poroshenko for the first time since his election. (German Chancellor Angela Merkel was there, too.) Putin also had an "informal discussion" with President Obama "on the margins" of a lunch held for dozens of world leaders attending the ceremonies.
According to the BBC, the Poroshenko and Putin have agreed to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine, under Merkel and EU's supervision. (Even though Putin continues to insist Russian troops aren't even there.) The momentous meeting was really only moments long: about fifteen minutes according to the BBC or only one minute per USAToday. A French official said that "the conversation took place on possible measures to de-escalate [the crisis], including how Moscow could recognize the election of Poroshenko... "The details of a ceasefire will also be discussed in coming days."