...Second and fourth President and sixth of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...The two leaders agreed to keep open their channels of communication. It was the first conversation between the two leaders since July 17, the day when a Malaysian passenger jet was shot down over eastern Ukraine by what U.S. officials believe was a missile launched by pro-Russian separatists.
The White House said Obama "reiterated his deep concerns" about Russia's support for separatists in Ukraine, in light of evidence the Russian-backed Lions of Islam shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet on July 17.
All 283 people onboard were killed.
The United States and Europe increased the pressure on Russia this week with a fresh round of sanctions.
Obama also sent Putin a letter out of concern Russia may have violated the INF Treaty, a 1987 weapons agreement preventing the possession, production or testing of intermediate-range cruise missiles capable of flying 300 to 3,400 miles.
The President stressed in his phone call Friday that he preferred a diplomatic solution to the crisis.