Settlement in Ukraine and the return of held persons: how did the telephone talks between Putin and Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.

The conversation took place at the initiative of the Ukrainian side, said the press secretary of the head of the Russian state, Dmitry Peskov.

“Issues of settlement in the south-east of Ukraine and joint work on the return of persons held on both sides were discussed,” said Peskov. “An agreement has been reached to continue this work at the expert level.”

He clarified that Putin and Zelensky also discussed the possibility of continuing contacts in the Norman format.

In turn, the press service of the President of Ukraine said that the leaders had discussed the release of Ukrainian sailors.

“The key issue was the release of captured sailors. They also talked about the return of other Ukrainian citizens who are contained in the territory of the Russian Federation, ”the Ukrainian leader’s press service said.

Recall that 24 Ukrainian sailors were detained on November 25, 2018, after they violated the Russian border in the Kerch Strait on three Ukrainian warships.

“Never refused the proposed formats”

Earlier, Zelensky suggested that Putin hold talks in Minsk to discuss the Crimea and the situation in the Donbas. According to the Ukrainian president, the meeting should be held with the participation of the leaders of the United States, Britain, Germany and France.

Recall, the Norman format implies the participation of the leaders of four countries - Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France.

Subsequently, Putin spoke about the possibility of negotiations in the proposed Zelensky format. He commented on the proposal of the Ukrainian leader.

“We have never refused any of the proposed formats, including the expansion of the Norman format ... This Norman format and the summit should be well prepared, this is an obvious thing,” Putin said on July 11.

He noted that also “more or less about something” can be said after the final formation of the new government in Ukraine and the holding of early elections to the Rada. Putin also said that he should familiarize himself with the reaction of Western leaders, whom he proposed to invite Zelensky.

“I don’t know how other members of the proposed format react (to this invitation. - RT ),” Putin added.

At the same time, the Russian leader admitted that the proposal voiced by Zelensky might be interesting.

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, Konstantin Kosachev, called the conversation of the two presidents good news, given that the initiative was taken by the Ukrainian side.

“Thus, Ukraine has demonstrated its readiness to resume the dialogue,” said the senator in an interview with RT. According to him, the very fact of this event can only be welcomed, since “dialogue is always better than its absence.”

Kosachev expressed the hope that an agreement would be implemented to continue the work of experts on the issues raised during the conversation.

“This is a situation in the south-east of Ukraine, the fate of the detained people. All of these are topics that, if they manage to find a solution, will contribute to resolving the larger issues of our bilateral relations and solving the internal problems of Ukraine, ”the senator concluded.

“The only way out is a dialogue with the DPR and the LPR”

Earlier, Putin in an interview with the newspaper Corriere della Sera spoke in detail about the conditions for starting a dialogue with Kiev. According to the head of the Russian state, Moscow is ready to cooperate with the Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in the event that he starts to fulfill his election promises.

Putin drew attention to the fact that Zelensky spoke of his intention to establish direct contacts with his fellow citizens in the Donbas.

“Yes, (settling the conflict and establishing a dialogue. - RT ) is possible if Vladimir Zelensky starts to fulfill his election promises. Including enter into direct contacts with their fellow citizens in the Donbass, will cease to call them separatists. If the Ukrainian authorities will comply with the Minsk agreements, and not ignore them, ”Putin said.

The Russian leader noted that the people of Ukraine expect from Zelensky and his team not declarations, but real actions, the soonest changes for the better.

“And, of course, the Kiev authorities should finally understand that it is not confrontation between Russia and Ukraine that is in the common interest, but the development of pragmatic cooperation based on trust and mutual understanding. We are ready for this, ”Putin said.

Zelensky himself, in turn, spoke of the intention to resolve the conflict in the south-east of Ukraine by diplomatic means. However, he does not intend to conduct a dialogue with representatives of the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass.

“We are not ready for a direct dialogue with the separatists. We are ready to act in the Minsk format, continue relations, cease fire, ”said Zelensky in mid-June.

Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor at Moscow State University, Andrei Manoylo, expressed the opinion that the very fact of the resumption of top-level contact between our countries is important.

“And this gives grounds for restrained optimism in the sense that as a result of the contact between the two leaders, something will start to change. If, of course, Zelensky manifests himself as an independent politician and wants to change something, ”the expert emphasized in an interview with RT.

However, the general director of the Center for Political Information, Alexei Mukhin, believes that it is too early to draw too optimistic conclusions. He suggested that Zelensky took the initiative because the Russian leader had hinted several times that such a conversation was possible.

“Putin has been saying for several days that Russia is open to expanding the format, negotiations, and discussion of the problem,” the expert said in an interview with RT.

He expressed the opinion that Kiev’s attempt to set up a conversation with Moscow as a participant in the conflict was doomed to failure.

“The only way out for Ukraine now is to start a dialogue with the DPR and the LPR. If there is no dialogue, everything will continue to stagnate in one place and there will be no point in negotiations in the Minsk or Norman format, ”the expert concluded.