Advisors to the heads of state and government of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, called the Normandy Quartet, and representatives of foreign ministries met in Paris.
At the meeting held to reduce tensions on the Ukrainian border, the parties reiterated their commitments to revive the Minsk agreement and to maintain the ceasefire agreed in this agreement.
After the meeting, diplomats from the Elysee Palace said, “We received the re-joining signal from Russia. This meeting was a test. We saw that the Russians were willing to de-escalate the tension.”
The meeting, which lasted for eight and a half hours, was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Dimitri Kozak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski’s representative Andriy Yermak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s special representative Jens Plötner and the host French President Emmanuel Macron. s chief diplomatic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne. During the meeting, the United States and NATO announced that they had sent written responses requested by Russia.
In the statement made by Elysee regarding the meeting, emphasizing that the Minsk agreements are the basis of the work of the Normandy format, “The parties support the unconditional respect for the ceasefire and full compliance with the measures to strengthen the ceasefire of 22 July 2020, regardless of differences in other issues related to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Parties Tripartite Contact Group and the working groups discussed the importance of intensifying their activities for rapid progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements, and agreed to meet again in Berlin two weeks later.
Elysee: “We got good signals from Russia”
The Elysee Palace expressed that they found the resumption of the Normandy format very encouraging, as the only format that included the Russians, and added in the joint statement, “The unconditional commitment to abide by the ceasefire, regardless of the conflicts regarding the revival of the Minsk Agreement and other issues, is also for us.” important”.
French diplomats, who hope to have an idea about Russia’s attitude before the meeting between Macron and Putin on Friday, said, “Two points are very important. First, the Normandy group is committing to a ceasefire and a joint will to continue negotiations for the first time since December 2019. The second point is that the Russians are ready for the tension to decrease. We saw this. For the first time in two years, a joint text was agreed upon. “This is a step that will help reduce tensions,” he said.
Russian diplomat Dimitri Kozak, who held a press conference at the embassy after the meeting, said that Russia and Ukraine will continue their talks in Berlin two weeks later, under Franco-German mediation, after “not easy” discussions in Paris on Wednesday. “We hope that our interlocutors understand our arguments and we will get results within two weeks. Despite differences of opinion, the ceasefire between the Donbass region and the Ukrainian army should be maintained,” Kozak said.
“Almost zero progress”
Russian diplomat Kozak criticized Ukraine for failing to respond to proposals formulated by separatists backed by Russia, saying that there has been almost zero progress in talks, saying he hopes the next round of negotiations in Berlin will reduce differences.
Kozak stated that the meeting, which is planned to be held in Berlin in 15 days, will again be held at the diplomats level, and that a “summit” with the participation of the leaders is not planned yet.
Making a statement at the Ukrainian embassy, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s envoy Andrey Yermak also found it positive that the parties showed their willingness to work for the resolution of the disputes and said that they “want to continue this dialogue”.