The parties will discuss steps to implement the Minsk agreements.
Today, 26 January, negotiations will take place & # 171; Normandy Four & # 187; at the level of political advisors. For the first time in a long time, the meeting will be held face-to-face. Representatives of all participating countries «Normandy» will gather in Paris to discuss the settlement of the situation in Donbas, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
The main thing about the meeting in Paris
Negotiations of political advisers to the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany were announced For Wednesday, January 26th
The quadripartite meeting is a preparation for the resumption of summits at the level of the chapters of the «Normandy Four». This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. It was he and French President Emmanuel Macron who previously proposed holding a meeting.
The parties will discuss steps to implement the Minsk agreements. Ukraine.
Ukraine will be represented in Paris by the Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak. Russia — Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak. Adviser to the Chancellor Jens Pletner participates from Germany, from France — presidential adviser Emmanuel Bonn.
The last face-to-face meeting at the level of advisers in full force took place in September 2020 in Berlin. And the leaders of the «Norman Four» no negotiations since December 2019.
France and Germany activate Normandy format
On January 7, 2022, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz initiated the resumption of the Normandy format. The heads of Germany and France proposed to hold talks between the leaders of the «quartet» in the coming weeks.
In early January, separate consultations of advisers from France and Germany with representatives of Ukraine and Russia took place. As a result, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the Normandy format was working again after a long period of inactivity. He noted that the issues of the exchange of prisoners, the withdrawal of heavy equipment, humanitarian prospects are on the negotiating table.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock also said that Germany is ready to «do everything» to restart the Normandy process, as the situation in Donbas worsens.
Ukraine's expectations from the meeting
Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak called it a powerful signal that the negotiations were unblocked. He expressed hope that at the meeting of advisers to the leaders of the «Normandy Four» Germany and France will take an active position.
The head of the Presidential Office also announced the probable agenda of the meeting — at the talks, advisers can discuss the involvement of German and French partners in the verification of the ceasefire in Donbas.
At the same time, Andriy Yermak noted that Ukraine would implement the Minsk agreements exclusively in Ukrainian interests and in accordance with the norms of international law, as well as defend their position on each point.
Negotiations against the backdrop of the threat of Russian invasion
The meeting of the Normandy advisers will take place at a time of aggravation of relations between Russia and the West because of Ukraine.
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The build-up of the military contingent near the Ukrainian borders since the autumn of 2021 has attracted the attention of the whole world. The United States and European countries warned the Russian Federation about tough sanctions in the event of an invasion of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine.
In turn, Russia put forward «security guarantees» US and NATO. Among them, the refusal to expand the Alliance and the refusal to accept Ukraine into it, the withdrawal of NATO troops from the countries of Eastern Europe.
On January 10 — 13, three rounds of negotiations took place regarding these «guarantees», however, the parties still did not reach a compromise.
The United States believes that Russia is ready to launch an invasion at any moment, and the command of the Joint Forces Operation of Ukraine has named a probable date for the invasion — February 20.
At the same time, the National Security and Defense Council stated that there is no reason to talk about a full-scale Russian offensive. The situation is under control and there is no reason to panic.
Earlier it was reported that they would try to activate the Normandy format at the ministerial level as well. To this end, the next visit to Kiev of the Foreign Ministers of Germany and France is expected soon.