Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the preparations for the summit of the Normandy Four (Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France) leaders are underway.
"The meetings in the Normandy format are underway. If the advisors meet, and I already know the result, it means a meeting of the Normandy Four leaders will be planned," he told journalists during a working trip to Odesa region, as reported on the presidential website.
Read alsoZelensky's Office reveals details of Normandy Four advisors' meetingAccording to Zelensky, the delegations of the Normandy Four countries did not put an end to many issues at the September 11 talks. Therefore, another meeting at the level of advisors to the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France will take place.
"The most important decision we have today is the observance and extension of the ceasefire. Am I 100% satisfied? No. Was there a combat loss? Yes. But if we are moving toward the implementation of the Minsk agreements, if we are moving toward peace in the east of our country, the first and foremost issue is the compliance with the ceasefire. This means our guys will not die," the president said.
Zelensky also stressed the ceasefire established in late July had been the longest one since the beginning of war in Donbas.
Normandy Four: Latest developments
- On August 22, Zelensky said advisers to the Normandy Four leaders were originally scheduled to meet on August 28, to be followed by a foreign ministers' meeting and a summit of the Normandy Four leaders.
- The countries were to be represented by Deputy Head of Russia's presidential administration Dmitry Kozak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Yermak, aide to the German Chancellor for foreign policy Jan Haecker, and French president's adviser Emmanuel Bonne.
- On August 25, it became known that the meeting had been postponed.
- On September 4, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the Normandy Four foreign ministers would hold a meeting in September, after the advisers to the countries' leaders meet.
- On September 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the meeting of advisers to the Normandy Four leaders would take place in Berlin on September 11.
- On September 9, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed the participation of Deputy Head of Russia's presidential administration Dmitry Kozak in the Normandy Four advisers' meeting.
- On September 11, Yermak arrived in Berlin to participate in the meeting.
- Late on Friday, Kozak said parties had exchanged views but no breakthrough was achieved at the meeting.
