Putin says 'best' if Ukraine drops NATO bid, adopts neutrality

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the "best" solution to the Ukraine crisis would be for Kyiv to drop its NATO membership ambitions and stay neutral.

Putin says he does not plan to 'restore empire'

"The best solution to the issue would be if the current Kyiv authorities themselves refused to join NATO and maintained neutrality," Putin said after upper house of parliament granted him permission to use the Russian army abroad.