Poroshenko and Putin conduct phone conversation
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone.
Poroshenko’s website reported that the presidents discussed the release of the Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and the separatist-held territories.
“The head of the Ukrainian state drew attention to the Ukrainians’ hunger strike, and expressed concern regarding the deterioration of their health. An agreement was reached that human rights commissioners from both countries would visit the imprisoned citizens soon,” Bankova stated.
The Kremlin’s website also mentioned that the visitation agreement would concern both countries: Tatyana Moskalkova will visit the Russian citizens imprisoned in Ukraine, and Lyudmyla Denisova will visit the Ukrainians in Russian prisons.
In addition, during the phone call Putin demanded “the immediate release of the Russian journalists arrested in Ukraine,” most likely referring to Kirill Vyshinsky, editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine.
Poroshenko and Putin also spoke about the situation in the Donbas and the implementation of the Minsk “package of measures”.
The last time Poroshenko and Putin spoke on the phone was in February 2018, the day before the planned meeting of the foreign ministers of the Normandy Format countries in Munich, which ultimately did not take place.
Poroshenko later said that the phone call had centered on two topics: peacekeepers and the release of hostages.
On Monday, June 11, the foreign ministers of the Normandy Format countries will meet in Berlin for negotiations, where one of the primary topics for discussion will be the matter of political prisoners.