Putin says Ukraine peace 'moving forward' despite problems

Russia's President Vladimir Putin leaves a festive concert marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe, as fireworks explode over Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2015. REUTERS/Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday that the peace process in eastern Ukraine was progressing despite difficulties.

Merkel reaffirmed her support for the peace efforts and repeated her calls to Putin to use his influence with pro-Russian separatists battling Kiev government forces to end a conflict in which more than 6,000 people have been killed since April 2014.