Following the phone call, a Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister underlined the importance of finding a means to de-escalate the situation ahead of Ukraine’s presidential election on 25 May, and his view that the Geneva process remained the best way of achieving this.

The Prime Minister re-iterated our commitment both to the implementation of the Geneva Accord in partnership with the Ukrainian and Russian Governments, and to all Ukrainians in being able to participate in free and fair democratic elections.

The Prime Minister noted that further serious destabilisation in Ukraine, would inevitably result in the imposition of far-reaching sanctions by the G7 and European Union.

The Prime Minister and President Putin agreed that their Governments should continue to work closely to find ways of de-escalating the current situation and helping restore stability in Ukraine.