Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he had a phone talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin and called on the Russian president to influence Russia-occupation fighters so they stopped killing Ukrainians in Donbas.

"This morning I talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin about this [shelling and the death of the Ukrainian military servicemen]. I called him urgently and said that this does not bring us closer to the truce. I implore you to influence that side so that they stop killing our people," Zelensky said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to him, he insisted and asked the President of the Russian Federation to urgently influence the fact that "that side simply stopped these actions, these are not toys."

"I say – they kill our people. I was told that there are some moments that our people fired on civilians," Zelensky added.

He recalled that "everyone says they want peace," but, in addition to words, "quick steps" are needed.

The second issue that the president of Ukraine raised in a conversation with Putin is the situation with mine clearance in the area of the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint.

"We continue demining, and we need to reduce the time for construction of the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska," he said.

In addition, according to Zelensky, the issue of the return of Ukrainian prisoners was discussed.

He said that the conversation with Putin was lengthy, adding that more information about the essence of the conversation will be in a press release, which will appear later.