German Foreign Minister Annalena BurbockAMMAN, Feb 11German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock called the negotiations of advisers to the leaders of the Normandy Four, which took place the day before in Berlin, difficult, Germany intends to use this format further to progress the Minsk settlement process. «We had difficult negotiations in Berlin yesterday, which lasted more than 10 hours» , Burbock said at a press conference with Jordanian Minister Ayman Safari in Amman.Ukraine manipulates Germany and France, said Kozak. She called the situation around Ukraine «extremely tense.» «We, in the Normandy format, together with our French friends, have finally returned to the tracks of negotiations with the Russian and Ukrainian sides and we will continue to use this Normandy format, even though this and difficult to move forward in the Minsk process,” Burbock said. According to Berlin, the very fact that «we are sitting at the negotiating table at all, this has not happened for two years» is important. “It is also good that it was at least agreed that all participants adhere to the Minsk agreements, that we do not break contact, that we will meet again in March,” Burbock said. She added that “at the military level, we are not seeing de-escalation, but on the contrary Russian troop buildup continues. Burbock noted in this regard the exercises in Belarus, the announced maneuvers in the Black Sea. «Russia has now raised the issue of recalling diplomats from Ukraine. Therefore, we are intensively preparing — as in the past weeks — for all scenarios. Of course, in close coordination with our partners, in close coordination within the European Union,” Burbock said.
