Putin says goals in Ukraine remain the same and no peace until they are achieved

Vladimir Putin took questions at his annual news conference in Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool/AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin began his end-of-year news conference with a question about Ukraine, vowing that his goals remain the same and there would be no peace until they are achieved.

Mr Putin was greeted with applause as he arrived in the hall in central Moscow, a short distance from the Kremlin.