Negotiations lasted eight hours. The parties promised to meet again.
The Normandy format of negotiations to resolve the conflict in Donbass somewhat outlived on January 26, 2022, for the first time since 2019. Advisors to the N4 heads of state met live in Paris, reports the Chronicle.info with reference on Channel 24.
The conversation lasted 8 hours, after which Andriy Yermak from Ukraine spoke to reporters. And also Dmitry Kozak from Russia — but separately from Yermak.
However, the joint communiqué following the conversation of the «Normandy Four» published. Given the duration of the negotiations, the document is surprisingly short.
Communiqué on the results of the conversation «Normandy Four»: full text
Declaration of advisers to heads of state and government N4 (as published on the official website of the President of France).
Advisors to the heads of state and government N4, with the participation of representatives of foreign diplomatic departments, gathered in Paris on January 26, 2022. There they are:
- Reaffirmed that the Minsk Agreements are fundamental in the work of the Normandy format and intend to reduce the current differences on the way forward.
- Commanded for the unconditional observance of the ceasefire and full compliance with measures to strengthening the ceasefire of July 22, 2020, despite disagreements on other issues of the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
- Discussed the importance of stepping up workThe TCG (Trilateral Contact Group on Donbass — Channel 24) and its working groups in order to make rapid progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
- Agreed to meet again in two weeks in Berlin.
Conversation N4 January 26: main accents on its results from Ukraine
The Office of the President published the reaction following the Paris conversation of the political advisers of the «Normandy Four». In the text, the accents are mostly positive, namely:
- The Normandy format communiqué of 26 January is the first agreed upon document in a long time (since December 2019).
- Positive signal — an agreement on a upcoming meeting in two week in Berlin.
- All participants said they were determined to reduce differences in order to move the negotiation process forward.
- All agreed that, despite the current differences,< strong>stop the fire in Donbas.
- A joint statement on the need to observe the ceasefire is a small step forward.
First Deputy Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG People's Deputy Andriy Kostin explained the conciseness of the general communiqué:this shows that the negotiations were not easy, but the parties tried to find common ground.
What is important:Head of the Office of the President and representative of Ukraine at the N4 negotiations in Paris Andriy Yermak is also convinced that «the very fact of the resumption of the Normandy format is a very positive signal».
Other important statements of the Ukrainian delegation:
- «We have come to defend Ukrainian interests», — Yermak to « forces» that tried to disrupt the format.
- «Cessation of the war is a priority», — Yermak explained Ukraine's position on «Normandie».
- Yermak also named the main achievement of the meeting of advisers to the leaders of the «Norman Four» in Paris.