MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putinhas spoken to the eastern Ukraine’s rebel leaders to discuss a prisoner swap, his first publicly acknowledged direct contact with the pro-Russian separatist republics.

The Kremlin said late Wednesday that Putin spoke by telephone with Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, and Igor Plotnitsky, head of the Lugansk People’s Republic.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details