Putin holds phone call with Ukrainian president

APD NEWS

text

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the invitation of the Ukrainian side, the Kremlin said in a statement Tuesday.

The parties stressed the importance of a package gas transit deal reached Monday between the two countries, which envisages the continuation of uninterrupted transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine after the current contract expires Tuesday.

"The constructive nature of the held talks was noted, as their results create a favorable atmosphere for solving other bilateral problems," the statement said.

Putin and Zelensky gave a positive assessment of the recent prisoner exchange that took place in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk.

They stated that the exchange was carried out in line with the agreements reached between leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany in Paris on Dec. 9, which "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 was emphasized, the statement said.

The Minsk agreements, reached in September 2014 and February 2015 respectively, are designed to peacefully end the conflict in Donbas. They envisage a cease-fire, a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the contact line, a prisoner exchange and local elections, among other measures.

Putin and Zelensky exchanged New Year greetings and spoke in favor of the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations in 2020, the Kremlin said.