Peskov calls Zelensky-Putin conversation pragmatic

The initial phone call between Ukrainian and Russian Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin on July 11 was pragmatic and lasted for 20 minutes, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.

"Regarding the atmosphere of the [Zelensky-Putin] conversation, it was the first introductory conversation between the two presidents. They talked by phone for the first time. There was no contact between them before," Russian news agency TASS quoted him as saying on Friday, July 12.

Peskov declined to communicate the detail of Zelensky's first words to Putin. Zelensky previously promised to initiate a direct dialogue with Putin regarding Crimea and Donbas at his earliest possible opportunity.

Zelensky called Putin on July 11 to discuss the release of captured military sailors, the return of other Ukrainian citizens detained in Russia, and the continuation of talks in the Normandy format (involving Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France).

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