Kofi Annan: Putin wants to make world better

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said after a meeting with the Russian leader that President Vladimir Putin is willing to cooperate with the European Union and the United States.

"We had a frank discussion on the issue of Ukraine. We talked about the Middle East and Iraq, the spread of terrorism and the need to cooperate to contain it. What was important is that I left convinced that he [Putin] wants to work with others, with the European Union, the US and other governments to try and improve the world we live in," Annan noted.

"In today's interdependent world no country can go it alone, however powerful it is. You need to cooperate with others to make the world in your own country safe," Annan stressed.

The Elders, an independent group created by Nelson Mandela in 2007 and currently chaired by Kofi Annan, is a group of 12 former global leaders, who met with Putin on Wednesday in Moscow.