A high-level telephone conversation is a technically difficult thing. You can't just pick up the intergovernmental telephone in Kiev, make a call and, after waiting for an answer, say: “Hello, Vladimir Vladimirovich! This worries you Vladimir Alexandrovich. " No, first the conversation is requested and agreed by the assistants: a specific time is set and the topics that will be discussed in the conversation are determined. And only then it happens.

Hardly since the last telephone conversation in February, the two presidents had much to discuss. Zelensky has repeatedly spoken out in favor of changing the Minsk agreements, which the Russian leader considers absolutely unacceptable. This time, the head of the Ukrainian state had a trump card in his hands, with which he entered, asking for a telephone audience. On Wednesday, a contact group in Minsk agreed on a package of measures to ensure a complete ceasefire on the line of separation until the final settlement of the conflict. The package took effect from today.

We can say that a major breakthrough has taken place in Minsk. The Ukrainian delegation agreed with the proposals of the representatives of the people's republics, which it actually rejected over the past five months. The parties did not just agree not to shoot, as was the case during the previous truces: "school", "bread", indefinite and many others. The package spelled out rather serious control measures over the actions of military personnel and disciplinary responsibility for arbitrary shelling. All types of fire, placement of heavy weapons in settlements and their environs, offensive and sabotage actions, the use of various aircraft are prohibited.

Boris Gryzlov, summing up the results of the meeting, called the decision of the Ukrainian delegation courageous, which sounds somewhat strange. In fact, this is a fairly accurate definition, since now Zelensky will have to face a demarche of nationalists, who believe, firstly, that hostilities in Donbass must necessarily continue to the bitter end, and secondly, that it is unacceptable to negotiate with Donbass "terrorists" -or directly. This is why I am talking about breakthrough. The President of Ukraine went to a guaranteed conflict with the right-wing radicals, which he had previously diligently avoided.

The "doves" in his entourage were able to push aside the "war party", which previously enjoyed the predominant influence.

True, the Ukrainian ruler nevertheless managed to spoil the mass a little, saying that the package of measures should also be signed by the members of the Normandy Four, which they definitely will not do. Duplicating the decisions of the December summit, the communiqué of which contains a clause on a "full, long-lasting and comprehensive ceasefire", makes absolutely no sense. And the status does not allow them to endorse the decisions of the contact group, since the "Normandy Four" determines the strategic directions for the settlement of the conflict. Nevertheless, the absence of signatures still did not mean that the signed document would not come into force. That is why a telephone conversation between Putin and Zelensky was possible.

Time will tell whether the Ukrainian side will abide by the agreements reached in Minsk, but I must say that now there are much more hopes for this than before. A focal point must be created to respond to violations of the regime.

And here's another very important thing. "Return fire in case of offensive actions is allowed only if it is opened by order of the relevant leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the leadership of the armed formations of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions after an unsuccessful attempt to use the above-mentioned coordination mechanism," the text of the published measures says. This means that the order to open return fire must be lowered from the very top, no one except the commander can give it. It is a powerful defense mechanism against the torn nerves of lower and middle level commanders on the front lines. And from the Ukrainian side, servicemen will be sent to all sectors of the front to monitor compliance with the armistice.

In general, there are serious grounds to believe that the measures taken will be able to ensure silence in the combat zone for a long time, although the wording "until the final settlement of the conflict" raises doubts. The actions of Zelensky, who approved the signature under the package of measures, are clearly situational in nature, they are determined by the political situation. Local elections will be held in Ukraine at the end of October.

The rating of the president himself and his party "Servant of the People" does not allow hoping for serious electoral success. Zelensky's voter realized long ago that his campaign promises to establish peace in Donbass were idle talk. Now they are trying to prove to him that no, the president is able to take serious steps against the will of the ultra-radicals. But what will happen after the elections is difficult to predict. Perhaps Zelensky, in order to get out of the situation of confrontation with the nationalists, will have to reopen the situation at the front.

The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.