Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. But the two sides didn't sign any documents, nor hold a joint press conference after Friday's meeting.

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Abe hailed a potential breakthrough in a decades-long territorial dispute with Russia. The dispute over a set of islands, known as the Kuriles in Russia and as the Northern Territories in Japan, have prevented them from ever signing a peace treaty to formally end World War II hostilities.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the two sides are expected to hold consultations over a peace treaty at the level of deputy foreign ministers in June.