Paris-Sana
The meeting of the (Normandy Quartet) group at the level of political advisors on the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine called on the parties to the conflict to abide by the cease-fire in the Donbass region without conditions.
The group, which includes Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, agreed to hold the next meeting in Berlin after two weeks, at the level of political advisors as well.
The head of the Russian delegation to the meeting, which was held in Paris yesterday, the deputy head of the Kremlin administration, Dmitry Kozak, said at a press conference: “There was agreement during the meeting that the main task is to overcome differences on the implementation of the Minsk agreements, and this is a new breakthrough,” noting that the group will not be able to Assistance in the settlement of the dispute as long as there are disagreements regarding the reading and implementation of the Minsk Agreements and follow-up steps.
Kozak stressed that the main task is to reach a common understanding of all the terms of the Minsk agreements with regard to the political conditions for the settlement, the ceasefire and humanitarian issues.
"We agreed that regardless of the differences over the existing Minsk agreements between Ukraine and representatives of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the ceasefire signed on July 22, 2020, must be unconditionally adhered to," Kozak added.
Kozak reiterated Moscow's opposition to the supply of arms to Ukraine by Western countries because it contradicts the Minsk agreements, which provide for a peaceful settlement of the crisis.
In turn, the French presidency described the meeting as difficult and said that its goal was "to search for ways to strengthen the armistice, and we have received a good signal to return to the commitment we were seeking."
Western-backed extremists carried out a coup against the legitimate elected government of Ukraine in 2014 and took a series of exclusionary measures, especially against citizens of Russian origin, which prompted the residents of Crimea to organize a referendum and declare independence, while the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions unilaterally declared independence.
Although the two sides of the crisis in Ukraine reached agreements in Minsk under the auspices of the Normandy Group in 2014 and 2015 to resolve the crisis through dialogue and implement a set of reciprocal steps, the Kiev authorities did not adhere to them with the encouragement of Western countries.
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