Normandy Format Meeting Results

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko told about eight hours talks of the political advisers to the presidents of four countries. During Normandy Format meeting at the political advisers’ level, which was held on Monday in Berlin, the parties spoke about the implementation of specific agreements to open the way to a summit, told to reporters the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko on Tuesday, September 3. It is noted that Vadym Prystaiko at the meeting acted as an adviser to the president, and negotiations lasted almost eight hours. “I hope that the agreements reached, which we are going to fulfill, will be implemented in the near future and we will open the way to the summit. There is some success, on the results of which we are going to base the next meeting of leaders,” Prystaiko said, noting that he cannot disclose the details of agreement of all four parties. However, among the specific things that need to be achieved, the diplomat named the village of Lugansk, where interposition force was agreed in 2016. “That is why we are going to bring this interposition force process to completion,” said Prystaiko. For this, according to him, it is necessary to take certain steps: stop shooting, wait seven days to make sure there is no immediate threat of shelling, to withdraw weapons and people, make a corridor to start mine clearing, remove fortifications, and make roads. This procedure has been specified and has not been followed, the minister said. To achieve progress, it was decided to begin rebuilding the bridge in the Village of Lugansk so far. It’s too early to talk about the date of the Normandy format summit. The leaders of Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia should make a decision after their advisers to present them the reports. According to Priestayko, additional preparatory meetings, in particular, at the level of foreign ministers, are not needed. The advisers did not talk about the exchange of hostages and prisoners, leaving this to the appropriate subgroup within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group; they talked neither about the peacekeeping mission in Donbass nor on the Road Map for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which it was agreed to develop during the last summit in the fall of 2016. “Unfortunately, the significant efforts that were put into the preparation of the Road Map did not justify expectation,” Prystaiko stated. He stressed that the team of President Zelensky intends to “end the war as soon as possible.” The night before, it was reported that Prystaiko held talks with the German Foreign Minister in Berlin. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky called on leaders of member countries of the Normandy Format to convene to resume negotiations on the situation in Donbass. Korrespondent