Putin asks Russian government to continue negotiations with Ukraine on EU association agreement before Jan 1

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to continue the discussion about the consequences for Russia in regards to Ukraine's association agreement with the European Union before the end of the year.

"I will ask you, despite difficulties, to nevertheless continue this discussion in the hope that we can come to some kind of agreement before January 1, 2016," Putin said at a meeting with members of the government on Friday.