“Given the planned summit in the Norman format”: Putin and Zelensky held a telephone conversation

Norman format

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky held a telephone conversation dedicated to the upcoming summit in the Norman format. The conversation was initiated by the Ukrainian side.

The future meeting of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France became known in mid-November. As Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, Putin had a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council of Russia the day before, where he discussed preparations for the upcoming talks.

According to Peskov, the meeting exchanged views on the situation in southeastern Ukraine in the context of preparations for the summit scheduled for December 9 in the Norman format.

In turn, Zelensky announced his intention to use the meeting to discuss the return to Kiev of "territories and people" and "the resumption of Ukrainian sovereignty."

Recall that the Norman format appeared in 2014, when during the summit dedicated to the anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy the summit met the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France - Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko, Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel. The topic of their discussion was the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

However, there have been no new meetings in the Norman format since 2016. Then the leaders of the four countries discussed the implementation of the Minsk agreements. However, due to the sabotage of these agreements by Petro Poroshenko, the negotiation format was paused.

It was possible to return to the format only after reaching agreement on the Steinmeier formula in October 2019. This term refers to the procedure for the entry into force of the law on the special status of Donbass and the holding of elections there.

The return of ships to Ukraine

According to the Kremlin’s press service, the new telephone conversation was dedicated to the transfer by Russia of three warships to Ukraine by Ukraine, whose crew violated the border with Russia in 2018.

“The situation with the transfer of three warships, which were involved in Kiev during the provocation in the Kerch Strait in November 2018, is affected,” the Kremlin website says.

Note that the Ukrainian side confirmed the fact of telephone conversations between Putin and Zelensky.

“The head of the Ukrainian state noted the importance of Russia's recent return of Ukrainian ships. At the same time, Vladimir Zelensky emphasized the need to return all the weapons, equipment and documentation that were on these ships, ”says the website of the President of Ukraine.

Recall that three Ukrainian ships “Berdyansk”, “Nikopol” and “Yany Kapu” were detained in November last year during an attempt to illegally cross the Russian border in the area of ​​the Kerch Strait. The crews of the ships were arrested.

In September 2019, sailors were returned to Ukraine in accordance with the agreements on the exchange of detainees and convicts. On November 18, Kiev also received ships back, as Moscow completed investigative actions with equipment.

After receiving the vessels of Ukraine, she expressed a number of claims to the Russian side. As President Zelensky pointed out, the ships allegedly lack some equipment and weapons. According to him, Kiev intends to investigate this situation.

In addition, the head of the Navy, Admiral Igor Voronchenkov, said that the Russian side allegedly “ditched” the ships by removing “even shades, sockets, and toilets.”

The FSB of Russia in response indicated that the ships were handed over to the Ukrainian side "in good condition and with good plumbing."

“If during the transition from the coast of Crimea to Ochakovo the Ukrainian side managed to“ ditch ”the ships and bring the plumbing to an inadequate state, then this is the problem of the Ukrainian side,” the department said.

In addition, the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov said that Kiev’s claims about the condition of the returned ships are unlikely to affect the preparation of the Russian side for the summit in the Norman format.

Transit and direct gas supplies

Another issue that the leaders of Russia and Ukraine raised in a telephone conversation was the continuation of gas transit and the resumption of direct deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine.

Recall that at the end of 2019, the current 10-year contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine expires. Negotiations on a new similar agreement are being held with the participation of three parties - Russia, Ukraine and the European Union.

The Russian side opposes any “gas wars”. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Moscow "is making efforts so that they do not exist, so that everything is settled in advance."

At the same time, Kiev insists on a $ 22 billion debt of Gazprom to Naftogaz. The Russian company urges the Ukrainian side to abandon mutual judicial claims. In addition, Moscow offered Kiev to return to direct gas supplies, which have not been carried out since 2015. However, in Naftogaz the proposal from the Russian Federation was called unacceptable.