Putin sounds pleased with progress on Ukraine talks

• I was informed on results of Russia-US talks
• I appreciate them highly
• Now work on diplomatic missions will be resumed
• Russia ready to get back to negotiations on Ukraine
• We don't need mediators
• Russia and the US made steps to cooperate in the Middle East
• Russian and the US discussed energy

There's a common refrain that Russia is pretty much getting everything it wanted in Ukraine but I wonder if Russia isn't offering something else in the Middle East -- maybe in relation to support for Iran -- that is below the radar.

In any case, WTI crude oil is up 77-cents to $72.62 today.