Dmytro Kuleba expressed cautious optimism commenting on Tuesday’s Biden-Putin virtual talks.

The foreign minister welcomed US efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table, but added that the priority was drawing up a deterrence package to ward Moscow off any further military escalation.

Kuleba stressed the contact itself serves as the way to deterrence and de-escalation.

The Russian president was sent some very clear and strong signal  about escalation stunts near Ukraine’s borders, said the minister, adding that ‘comprehensive deterrence package’ to discourage sabre-rattling Moscow must now come as a top priority.

Earlier in the day , the former president of Ukraine and leader of the ‘European Solidarity’ party Petro Poroshenko made a statement concerning Biden-Putin talks.