Moscow, May 20 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday following a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump said that the exchange was extremely productive.

Putin said that Russia also supports a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

"This conversation has effectively taken place and lasted more than two hours. I would like to emphasise that it was both substantive and quite candid. Overall, I believe it was a very productive exchange," he said.

Putin expressed his gratitude towards the US for attempting to sort the Ukraine-Russia issue.

"First and foremost, I expressed my gratitude to the President of the United States for the support provided by the United States in facilitating the resumption of direct talk...