Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held their first telephone conversation on Thursday and discussed settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the return of prisoners, the Kremlin said.
Zelenskiy, a former comic actor with no previous political experience, won Ukraine's presidential election in April and has declared the settlement of the conflict between pro-Russian group and Kiev's forces one of his priorities.
The Kremlin said the phone call between Putin and Zelenskiy had been initiated by the Ukrainian side.
The two men discussed the possibility of continuing contacts on the issue in the Normandy format, the Kremlin statement said.
A Ukrainian serviceman patrols the area as people stand in line to receive humanitarian aid near a delivery point in the town of Debaltseve, Donetsk region, February 6, 2015. /Reuters Photo
The Normandy format, or the Normandy Four, is a diplomatic group of leaders from four countries – France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine, which was set up to resolve the Ukrainian crisis in accordance with the Minsk deals in February 2015.
Zelenskiy's office said the release of 24 Ukrainian sailors held by Russia since November was also a "key question" during the call. Russia seized their vessels off the coast of Crimea last year.
Earlier this week Zelenskiy called for first talks with Putin in a video address, calling for Western leaders to mediate.
He suggested that the U.S. and the UK should also be included in peace talks on the conflict that currently involves Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine.
Putin on Thursday said Moscow "never refused any of the proposed formats," including the expansion of the group, Russian media reported.
(With input from Reuters, AFP and Xinhua)
(Cover: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. /AFP Photo)