Leaders of Ukraine, Russia discuss release of prisoners

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone about the release of Ukrainian citizens detained in Russia, eastern Ukraine and Crimea, Zelenskiy's office said in a statement on Friday. They also discussed preparations for the next meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France in the so-called 'Normandy' format.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for separatist fighters in the Donbass region in a war that has killed more than 13,000 people.