Ukrainian and Russian presidents hold first talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Federation
President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation on Thursday, July 11.
This is the first official contact between the two presidents.

The conversation focused on existing issues between the
two countries, including prisoner exchanges and the continuation of Normandy
Four peace talks.

James Hydzik: The prospect of the two presidents talking had been looming recently,
with speculation growing about a face-to-face meeting. Yesterday’s telephone
call pitted the inexperienced politician against one of the longest-serving
presidents in the world, an act which President Zelensky’s opponents had been
dreading. Their fears of President Zelensky completely folding or openly
selling out to the Russian president were not realized, but even so and even if
Zelensky is taken at face value, the experience gap between the two men should
not be underestimated, and advisors professional and otherwise are repeating
the refrain that Zelensky should not communicate with him alone.