Zelensky and Merkel in phone call discuss Donbass, gas, investment

18 July 2019

President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone on July 17. UNIAN new agency reports that the President and the Chancellor spoke about the situation in Donbass and in particular the completion of the de-militarization of Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as the release by Russia of Ukrainian political prisoners. The two leaders also spoke about ensuring Russian gas transit via Ukraine and German-Ukrainian investment projects. The call comes after a July 12 meeting in Paris by foreign policy advisers in relation to the Normandy Four process.

 

James Hydzik: The conversation is an integral part of Zelensky’s on-the-job training; there’s no substitute for it. With the end of what could be termed a “honeymoon period” coming to a close with Sunday’s parliamentary elections, not only will President Zelensky have to face the consequences of his decisions and those of his (soon-to-be) ruling party, he will also begin the five years of regular contact with and synchronization with his counterparts that comes with being the head of state. While some political neophytes navigate this stream of communication well, recent examples elsewhere in the word are a painful reminder that this is not a given even with the help of experienced advisers, and that missteps are hard to correct.