“The year ends on a positive note”: Putin and Zelensky held a telephone conversation

On the last day of 2019, the presidents of Russia and Ukraine held a telephone conversation, which took place at the initiative of Kiev. This was reported by the Kremlin press service.

The heads of state exchanged congratulations on the occasion of the New Year and spoke out for the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations in 2020.

Earlier it was reported that Vladimir Putin sent congratulations to the heads of foreign states and governments, as well as the leaders of international organizations, while Vladimir Zelensky was not among them.

Then the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov answered the question about the possibility of congratulations by Vladimir Putin to the leaders of Ukraine and Georgia.

“Not all leaders entered the message. If necessary, information will be added ... Perhaps there will be additions to this information, ”he noted.

As the Russian media emphasize, the country's president for the first time in six years exchanged holiday greetings on the occasion of the New Year with a colleague from Ukraine. Recall that from 2014 to 2019, the president of Ukraine was Petro Poroshenko.

MSU professor Andrei Manoilo called the mutual congratulations of the presidents of Russia and Ukraine “a positive thing.”

“In general, with regard to Russian-Ukrainian relations, the year 2019 was very difficult, but it ends on a positive note, because recently there was an exchange of held persons and the parties entered into a transit contract. If Zelensky will continue to adhere to this position, then many sharp edges in relations between Russia and Ukraine will smooth out in the coming year, ”the source said.

In turn, Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the Center for European Studies of the IMEMO RAS, also expressed hope that the first steps to resolve the situation between Moscow and Kiev, launched in 2019, will serve as the basis for the further development of Russian-Ukrainian relations.

“It is gratifying that there are positive developments in relations between the two countries. In particular, they managed to find mutual understanding on the issue of gas transit; they managed to solve such an important humanitarian issue as the exchange of held persons. It seems to me that one of the important results is that confidence comes that Zelensky really wants to normalize bilateral relations. It is also important that he gradually gains experience. It is also encouraging that we can say that the Ukrainian leader has the political will to maintain bilateral relations. The fact that he called Putin does him honor, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

The importance of a “package deal” and a positive assessment of prisoner exchange

The heads of state not only congratulated each other, but also discussed a number of issues related to bilateral relations. Thus, Putin and Zelensky emphasized the importance of concluding a “package deal” to extend the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukrainian territory from January 1, 2020.

“The constructive nature of the talks was noted, the results of which create a favorable atmosphere for solving other bilateral problems,” the report said.

On the night of December 31, it became known that Russia and Ukraine signed a package of documents to ensure the transportation of blue fuel to the continent. According to the Ukrainian side, Kiev will receive more than $ 7 billion in five years of transit. Moreover, for the first time in the history of Ukraine, the contract was signed on a “download or pay” basis.

At the same time, the presidents of Russia and Ukraine positively assessed the exchange of retained persons held on December 29 on the principle of “all established on all established” between Kiev and the republics of Donbass.

“It has been ascertained that this is in line with the agreements reached at the summit of the Norman Four in Paris on December 9, and helps to strengthen mutual trust. The necessity of continuing the consistent implementation of the Minsk “package of measures” by the parties to the intra-Ukrainian conflict is emphasized, ”the Kremlin explained.

On December 29, the DPR, LPR and Kiev held the first prisoner exchange in two years. 76 people returned to Ukraine, 124 to Donetsk and Lugansk. All parties to the process pledged not to prosecute the released persons. This exchange was the first in two years.

Earlier, on September 7, 2019, there was also an exchange of held persons between Russia and Ukraine in the 35 to 35 format. Its participants, in particular, were 22 Ukrainian sailors and two SBU officers who participated in the incident in the Kerch Strait, as well as the chief editor of RIA Novosti Ukraine Kirill Vyshinsky.

It should be noted that the press service of the Ukrainian leader said that the presidents of the two countries also agreed to "immediately proceed to agree on lists for the release of Ukrainians, including Crimeans who are in Crimea and in Russia, and Russians who are in Ukraine."