New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a conciliatory tone on Tuesday (September 2), saying it may be possible to reach consensus on security guarantees for Ukraine, even as he firmly rejected Kyiv's potential membership in NATO.

"There are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event of an end to the conflict," Putin said during talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing. "It seems to me that there is an opportunity to find consensus here," adding that the topic came up in discussions with US President Donald Trump when the two leaders met in Alaska.

Putin reiterated Russia's long-held stance that while Ukraine's accession to the European Union was not opposed by Moscow, NATO membership was a...