The President spoke about that in his New Year message. “Crosses on soldiers’ graves whether in Ternopil or in Kryvyi Rih do not compete in patriotism. When our sailors and prisoners returned home, we all cried of happiness. So far, we’ve learned to be a united country only episodically. But in the new year, we need to be united every day. This notion has to become our national idea”, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He stressed that Ukrainians should learn to live together in respect for one another in the name of the future of their country. “After all, the way we see our future is the same. It is a prosperous and successful country where there’s no war. It is a country that has returned its people and territories. And if we have the same views on our future, then it is this very thing that has to unite us”, noted the President.
On December 29, a major prisoner exchange took place between Ukraine and pro-Russia separatists in Donbas. The self-proclaimed republics “DPR” (Donetsk People's Republic) and “LNR” (Luhansk People's Republic) released 81 persons. Seventy-six captives returned to Ukraine and five detainees decided to remain in those republics because their families live there. Ukraine turned over 124 people.
Following the prisoner swap, the Ukrainian President addressed the leaders of the Normandy talks with the words of gratitude. “I’d like to thank all leaders of the Normandy Four. Everything we have agreed on has been fulfilled”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a briefing at Borispil Airport. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the exchange of prisoners.
On December 30, Ukraine and Russia signed a five-year gas contract for transit of Russian natural gas to Europe. The Russian gas monopolist “GazProm” undertakes to ship via Ukrainian territory 65 billion cubic meters of gas during the first year and then 40 billion cubic meters per every contractual year. “Ukraine expects to receive 7.2 billion dollars under the transit deal with Russia”, said Andriy Kobolev, the chairman of the Board of “Naftogaz Ukrainy” gas and oil company of Ukraine.
On December 31, President of Ukraine Zelenskyy and President of Russia Putin held a telephone conversation, the press service of the Ukrainian President reported. The Presidents exchanged the New Year greetings and discussed the last achievements.
As it was reported, the heads of State exchanged season’s greetings and congratulated each other on the successful outcome of the prisoners’ exchange. Besides, the leaders of the two countries welcomed the conclusion of the gas transit deal.
During their telephone conversation, both leaders agreed to proceed without delay to finalizing lists of future exchanges that include Ukrainians who are currently kept in Crimea and in the Russian Federation and Russians who are held in Ukraine.
The Presidents expressed hope that a complete ceasefire along the entire frontline in Donbas would begin in the nearest future.
The newspaper Holos Ukrainy
