Russia's Putin says Moscow wants solution to Ukraine crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow, December 18, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the Ukraine crisis should be resolved as quickly as possible and that Moscow's aim was to restore political unity to Ukraine.

Putin also warned Kiev at his annual end-of-year news conference that it must respect all its regions if it wanted peace.