REUTERS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed that a new format of talks on Donbas, Crimea, and Nord Stream 2 be created.

He announced this in an interview for Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, the Ukrainian TV news service TSN reported.

Zelensky says the new format could address not only ways to counter Russian aggression in Donbas and return Russia-occupied Crimea, but also the situation involving Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

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"The Normandy format does not mention either Crimea, or the pipeline, or security guarantees. The Normandy format and its subjects would then become part of that [new] structure," Zelensky said.

Read alsoMerkel: Normandy talks on Donbas unrelated to developments in Belarus

Normandy format

  • The Normandy format is a type of meetings in a quadripartite format – Ukraine, Germany, France, Russia – dealing with issues related to Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.
  • The name of the format comes from the meeting of the leaders of the four states, which first took place in Benouville, Normandy region, northwestern France, on June 6, 2014.

Meeting of political advisers to Normandy leaders

  • In early January 2021, a meeting of advisers to the Normandy leaders took place in Berlin. During the negotiations, the Ukrainian side focused on security issues and on strengthening the security component of the agreements.
  • At the meeting, Ukraine was represented by chief of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, while deputy head of Vladimir Putin's Administration Dmitry Kozak acted on behalf of Russia.
  • The previous meeting of the advisers to the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia took place on September 11, 2020.