The German Chancellor's diplomatic advisers as well as the Russian, Ukrainian and French presidents have been meeting since Wednesday, January 26 at noon in Paris to try to find a way out of the crisis in Ukraine, announced the French presidency, which hopes to draw from it a "
clear indication on the state of mind of the Russians
.
Read alsoCrisis between Russia and Ukraine: what is happening?
This meeting takes place in the so-called “ Normandy
” diplomatic format
, dating from 2015, at the initiative of France.
It brings together around fifteen diplomats around senior officials from the four countries: Frenchman Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to Emmanuel Macron, German Jens Plötner, diplomatic adviser to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Kozak and Director of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration Andriy Yermak.
"Clear indication of the state of mind of the Russians"
This meeting is intended to defuse the crisis after a series of talks between Russians and Americans last week, in the context of a continuous rise in tensions around Ukraine.
Russia is accused of having massed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border for an incursion.
The Russians are demanding guarantees for their security, including the rejection of Ukraine's membership of NATO.
For its part, Washington is brandishing the threat of economic sanctions.
The last summit in Normandy format dates back to December 2019 in Paris, where Vladimir Poutine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron met.
France hopes in the long term for a new summit between the four heads of state, which would take place this time in Berlin.
“
It is very encouraging that the Russians have agreed to re-enter this diplomatic format, the only one where the Russians are involved. This meeting will give a clear indication of the state of mind of the Russians, before the interview on Friday between Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin
, “said the Elysee.
“
We want a de-escalation, which requires both dialogue and deterrence.
A dialogue is taking place on sanctions with European and American partners and the institutions, so that this deterrence is sufficiently credible, so that the dialogue is credible.
The two feed off each other
,” added the French presidency.
“
But these sanctions must not lead to aftershocks that would cost us a boomerang.
Sanctions are not the be-all and end-all of the response
,” said the Elysée.
