The first
conversation between the presidents lasted about 20 minutes.
MOSCOW, July 12.
/TASS/. The first telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir
Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky lasted about 20 minutes
on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that the
conversation had been pragmatic.
"As for the
atmosphere of the phone call, it was the first introductory conversation
between the two presidents, it was the first time they held a phone call as
they hadn’t contacted each other before," Peskov said. According to him,
"the conversation was rather pragmatic." Peskov added that the phone
call had lasted "about 20 minutes."
The first
conversation between Putin and Zelensky is important in itself, according to
the Kremlin spokesman.
"It is hardly
necessary to discuss tones and emotions, this is not what the conversation was
for," he said when asked if Putin was satisfied with his phone call with
Zelensky. "The first conversation between the Russian and Ukrainian
presidents is very important in itself," Peskov pointed out.
When asked if there
were plans to arrange another telephone conversation between the two
presidents, Peskov said that "there is no clear understanding at the
moment."
When asked if Putin
and Zelensky had discussed the possibility of releasing Ukrainian sailors
arrested in Russia and Russian journalist Kirill Vyshinsky charged with high
treason and arms trafficking in Ukraine, the Kremlin spokesman said the two
presidents had agreed that "the work will continue at the expert level."
Peskov added that
Putin and Zelensky had touched upon "the future of the Normandy
talks."
The Russian and
Ukrainian presidents held their first telephone conversation on Thursday. The
call was initiated by Kiev. According to Zelensky’s team, the phone call marks
"the first step towards resuming the Normandy talks."
Source: ITAR-TASS
12-07-2019
