AP/Evan Vucci

In this June 17, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

President Barack Obama spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday at the Kremlin's request, a conversation in which they briefly discussed reports that a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane carrying nearly 300 people had been reportedly shot down near the Ukrainian border.

"During the call, President Putin noted the early reports of a downed passenger jet near the Russia-Ukraine border," the White House said in a readout of the call.

The Kremlin also provided a readout on its website: " The Russian leader informed the U.S. president of the report from air traffic controllers that the Malaysian plane had crashed on Ukrainian territory, which had arrived immediately before the phone call."

There were no survivors of the crash. An adviser to Ukraine's Interior Minister has said 23 U.S. citizens were among those killed.

Earnest told reporters the Kremlin requested the call to discuss new sanctions leveled by the U.S. on Russia Wednesday. The Kremlin said the leaders "discussed in detail the acute crisis in Ukraine."

" Putin reiterated the need for the immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities by both parties in the south-east of Ukraine, [which] has led to numerous deaths and forced hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to seek refuge in Russia," the Kremlin said in its readout, according to a Google translation.

The Kremlin also noted Putin expressed "serious disappointment" over the U.S.'s decision to impose new sanctions on Russia.

Here's the full readout of the call from the White House:

President Obama spoke with Russian President Putin today about the situation in Ukraine and the additional sanctions on Russian individuals and entities that the United States announced on July 16. President Obama emphasized that he remains committed to a diplomatic solution and that sanctions were not his preferred course of action.

President Obama noted, however, that in the face of extensive evidence that Russia is significantly increasing the provision of heavy weapons to separatists in Ukraine and Russia’s failure to take other steps set out by the United States and Europe to de-escalate the crisis, it was necessary to impose additional sanctions, consistent with the clear statements from the United States and our allies following the G-7 meeting in Brussels. President Obama also reiterated his concerns regarding the buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.

President Obama called on President Putin to take concrete steps to de-escalate the situation, including to press separatists to agree to a cease-fire, support a roadmap for negotiations, halt the flow of fighters and weapons into Ukraine, obtain the release of all hostages still held by the separatists, and work to establish an effective OSCE border-monitoring mechanism.

He noted that Russia would face continued costs and isolation unless it takes these concrete steps. The President emphasized that Russia and the United States have a shared interest in supporting a stable and prosperous Ukraine. President Obama and President Putin agreed on the need for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis achieved through diplomatic means. During the call, President Putin noted the early reports of a downed passenger jet near the Russia-Ukraine border.





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