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This will certainly be one of the biggest challenges for the new Ukrainian president; the war with Russia has lasted five years in the east of the country. Two questions to Galia Ackerman, essayist, head of the Russian bureau of the journal Politique internationale . It publishes in May next The Immortal Regiment: The sacred war of Putin , with the first edition Parallel.
RFI: While awaiting legislative elections, Ukraine plunges into the unknown with its new president. Former comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy has largely defeated the outgoing head of state, the pro-European Petro Poroshenko, who believes that the victory of his young opponent is also that of the Kremlin. Volodymyr Zelenskiy promised on Sunday evening to revive the dialogue with Moscow. What can we expect in the coming months?
Galia Ackerman: Moscow is quite skeptical about this stimulus. And in the political "talk shows", there is even more freedom since it is there, even, not to recognize the results of the election.
As for Zelenskiy himself, he promised that he would attach himself from the beginning of his presidency to the issue of the liberation of Ukrainian seamen arrested in the Kerch Strait by Russian troops and awaiting trial in Moscow.
If it succeeds, it will already be a very important sign of a possible warming in relations between Ukraine and Russia. But personally, I do not think he can succeed.
What, in your opinion, are the other great challenges now awaiting Volodymyr Zelenskiy?
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has earned a reputation for fighting corruption. He is a "showman", holding an extremely popular comedy show, called "The Servant of the People". He plays the role of the president.
This is how he became popular. So I think of course that he has to tackle the blatant corruption in Ukraine, despite a number of measures that have already been taken under Poroshenko.
► See also: Putin in Sevastopol for the five years of the annexation of Crimea