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At the beginning of the conversation, the President noted that he maintained constant contact with the head of the DPR. However, there are always a number of issues that need to be discussed.

Denis Pushilin agreed that there security issues can always be discussed on a regular basis, yet this time he would like to focus on socioeconomic development because the region’s key task was to raise the quality of people’s lives up to the Russian average before 2030.

According to the head of the republic, integration processes are continuing, and there have already been certain achievements made. This is evidenced by both tax and non-tax budget revenues. Last year the budget received 54 billion rubles which was twice as much as the benchmark planned at the beginning of the year. Meanwhile, in the first half of this year the budget received almost 33 billion. This gives grounds to expect that the republic will get over 70 billion budget revenues by the end of the year, which is 30 percent higher than last year.

The region is focusing on industrial development, with four industrial enterprises launched this year already. By the end of the year, 15 more enterprises that have been idle are to be launched. Investors are being attracted to the coal mines. Recently, the 100-millionth tonne of coal was removed from the Komsomolets Donbassa mine, the flagship of the coal industry in the DPR. This is very good progress, and according to Denis Pushilin, the miners are optimistic.

Referring construction, the head of the republic informed the President that large scale building projects are being pursued with an emphasis on commercial housing using extra-budgetary funds. The decision on a two-percent preferential mortgage is yielding results. In Mariupol alone, 15 blocks of flats are to be completed by the end of the year. A tender was announced for investors on projects in Donetsk, Makeyevka, and Yenakiyevo. Nine master plans for city development are already ready, three more master plans are being developed, and Russian sponsor regions are helping very much. The republic is trying to align its master plans with neighbouring territories: Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson: this way, resources can be distributed more effectively.

Denis Pushilin added that on June 1, the President had instructed to adopt a development strategy for the Azov area until 2040 by September 1. Significant plans are connected with this, including in an area that was not quite typical of an industrial region: a recreational component of the Azov Sea. Tourism will also develop, as well as the fish industry with a great potential of the Azov Sea.

The Head of the DPR thanked both the President and the entire Russia for their support, and emphasised that Donbass would not let them down.

Vladimir Putin listed several topics that required special attention, such as emergency housing, which includes over 27 percent of the housing stock in the republic. According to Vladimir Putin, this is due to both military actions and the fact that previously, this matter had not been given due attention for many years or even decades. Water supply was another problem which the republic will not be able to resolve on its own.

The President stressed that he always drew the attention of the Russian Government to these issues, and instructed the Head of the DPR to pay special attention to this in liaison with federal bodies.