A new exchange of held persons between Russia and Ukraine will require careful study, which will take some time. However, the Russian side is open to discuss this issue, said spokesman for the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, responding to the corresponding question.

“This requires the start of a new process, an exchange of opinions, very, very painstaking and, probably, extended over time,” he said. “Therefore, it is a matter of the same bilateral contacts.”

Peskov emphasized that no one a priori excludes the possibility and expediency of such a process.

Also on Friday, September 13, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, speaking at the Yalta European Strategy Forum (YES) in Kiev, said the country was preparing new lists of people to exchange with Russia.

“Now we are preparing other lists and are waiting for a new stage of the exchange. We will agree on this both in Minsk and in the Norman process, ”he said.

The Kremlin has already noted this week that a new exchange of held persons is possible. On September 10, Peskov said that although there are no specifics on this issue yet, there is an understanding that “the process needs to be continued.”

“For now, it would be premature to talk about the timing of the next exchange, but there is an understanding that we need to go to this,” he said.

In turn, the Ukrainian Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova on the air of the 1 + 1 TV channel said that the second stage of the exchange of held persons may include at least 113 people.

“The presidents were able to agree”

At the YES forum, Zelensky also called on Western countries to maintain anti-Russian sanctions in force as long as the conflict in eastern Ukraine continues.

“Some people in the West are talking about lifting sanctions because they are losing money. And we are losing people. Until there is peace, sanctions must be maintained, ”he said.

However, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, who was present at the event, noted that the words “as a result of the sanctions, the Russian economy will collapse and they will have to recede” have been heard for a long time, but this has not happened and is unlikely to happen in the near future.

“We already have a living example here, when Presidents Putin and Zelensky were able to agree on an exchange. This, of course, is a small step, maybe it will not lead to anything. But it was done, ”Niinistö said.

The Kremlin also negatively evaluated Zelensky’s words regarding anti-Russian sanction pressure. Peskov recalled that restriction also harms those who introduce them.

“There is a set, you know, maybe they have already become trivial, of such theses on sanctions. This set has repeatedly proved to be right. This double-edged weapon does not benefit anyone, does not help solve the problem, contradicts international law, erodes the norms of international law and as a whole does not bring any good either to those countries against which sanctions are announced, or to those countries that announce sanctions, ”he said.

“We look forward to meeting in the Norman format”

It is worth adding that, speaking of the opportunity to discuss a new exchange within the framework of the summit in the Norman format, Zelensky expressed hope for holding these negotiations by the end of the month.

“We look forward to seeing the leaders of the four countries in the Norman format. We are waiting for this meeting, we are turning to our Western partners and we are waiting for the meeting until the end of September. I think it will definitely happen, ”said the President of Ukraine.

Note that the issue of holding a summit in the Norman format was raised by Zelensky from the moment he took office in May. However, Russia has repeatedly stressed that for such a meeting it is necessary to carry out serious preparatory work for the summit to lead to real results.

“During the exchange of views on the prospects of organizing the Norman Four summit, the President of Russia noted the need to continue comprehensive preparatory work so that the next meeting in this format would be effective and really contribute to the implementation of the existing agreements at the highest level, especially the Minsk complex of measures,” noted in the Kremlin’s press service following a telephone conversation between Putin and Zelensky on September 7.

At the same time, in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, Putin drew attention to the need for Ukraine to comply with the Minsk agreements and the establishment of the “Steinmeier formula”.

Recall, this is a set of measures proposed by the former Foreign Minister of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, which provides for a special procedure for local self-government on the territory of the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk people's republics.

On September 12, Zelensky said that both the “Steinmeier formula” and the Minsk agreements would be discussed at the summit in the Norman format, but Kiev would “fight to protect every drop of Ukrainian interests.”

“You know that I did not sign the Minsk agreements. But we all understand that responsibility is now on me. Nobody removes this responsibility, because it is our country with you, ”he added.

First step

To gallery page

The first stage of the exchange of held persons between Russia and Ukraine took place on September 7. He went in the format of "35 by 35". Among those who returned to Russia was the head of the RIA Novosti Ukraine portal, Kirill Vyshinsky. Kiev was returned, among others, Ukrainian sailors detained for violating the border of the Russian Federation during the incident in the Kerch Strait, as well as director Oleg Sentsov, sentenced to 20 years for terrorism.

“This became possible thanks to the implementation of the agreements reached personally by the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. Unlike its predecessors, the new Zelensky administration demonstrated a sound approach and willingness to compromise, ”commented on the exchange in the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Zelensky called the incident the first step in "unlocking dialogue" between the countries. And Kirill Vyshinsky himself, commenting on the exchange in a conversation with RT, expressed the hope that this would not be a one-time public relations action.

“There are many steps ahead that require both political will and political courage from the current administration and from Zelensky personally. I hope that he has this courage, ”he said.