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This restitution is the epilogue of a very serious maritime incident between the two countries last autumn. It is also a signal of relaxation between Moscow and Kiev in the lead up to the summit to be held in Paris in early December, leaders of both countries, those of France and Germany.
With our correspondent in Moscow , Daniel Vallot
The return of the three ships, seized a year ago, was made Monday in the Black Sea, off the Crimea. First announced by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was later confirmed by the Ukrainian Navy, through a statement posted on social networks.
In the autumn of 2018, the three ships were arrested by Russia , who then accused the crew of having illegally entered its territorial waters. The incident remains to this day the only direct military confrontation between the two countries, since the break-up of the USSR.
Paris welcomes the gesture of Moscow
The return of these three ships to Ukraine can therefore be considered as a gesture of good will on the part of Russia. He intervened after a major prisoner exchange in September , and several withdrawals of troops from both sides of the Donbass front line . Many gestures that followed Volodymyr Zelenskiy's election in Kiev, paving the way for a four-way summit with France and Germany. Emmanuel Macron also hailed this restitution which " contributes to reinforce confidence ".
On Monday, the Kremlin confirmed that the summit would be held on 9 December. This is the first time since 2016 that a meeting of this type is organized. It will also be the first meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy.