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Kremlin: Berlin talks aimed at revealing obstacles for Minsk deal implementation

Moscow has little hope that the talks will be productive - ideal goals do not always correspond with reality, Dmitry Peskov explained

© AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev

MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. The goal of Wednesday’s meeting of the Normandy Quartet leaders in Berlin is to find out what hampers the implementation of the Minsk deals on settlement in Donbass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"In this case the goal (of Berlin’s meeting) is to look at where we are and to state what hampers the implementation of the Minsk agreements," Peskov said.

Moscow does not expect breakthrough

The Kremlin does not expect any breakthrough from the talks of the Normandy Quartet leaders on the Ukrainian conflict resolution, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

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"We expect no breakthrough," Peskov told reporters ahead of the meeting of the Russian, German, French and Ukrainian leaders in Berlin:

"Ukraine’s obligation to fulfill the Minsk agreements in compliance with the document signed by the heads of state would have been an ideal result. But as you see, ideal goals do not always correspond with reality."

The spokesman said the meeting’s purpose is "to determine what hampers the implementation of the Minsk accords."

"Neither Moscow, nor Berlin and Paris can fulfill the Minsk accords. They can be fulfilled by Kiev and Dombass representatives,’ Peskov added.

Russia’s flexibility in Donbass settlement cannot be unilateral

Russia cannot alone show flexibility in the issue of resolving the crisis in eastern Ukraine, Dmitry Peskov said stressing that the Minsk agreements’ implementation is the responsibility of Kiev and the Donbass representatives.

"The Russian side has repeatedly showed its constructive flexibility, but this flexibility has certain boundaries, and Russia cannot be the only party demonstrating flexibility in this process," Peskov stressed.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy Dmitry Peskov

Military operation in Ukraine

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