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West and Russia have chance to restore trust - German foreign minister

"The restoration of lost trust can be a realistic task if both sides work on it," Frank Walter Steinmeier said

BERLIN, May 31 /TASS/. The West and Russia can restore reciprocal trust if both sides are determined to work in this direction, German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier said in a speech at the opening of a German-Russian conference called the Potsdam meetings.

"We have no future without conflicts. It would be naive to stake on such a future," he said. "The restoration of lost trust can be a realistic task if both sides work on it," the German foreign minister said.

The Russia - NATO Council

The Russia - NATO Council, which resumed work this spring after a long pause caused by the Ukraine crisis, is vital for building a dialogue between the West and Moscow, Steinmeier said.

"What other place can be better for conducting political debates than the Russia-NATO Council. It is clear that we need this floor. The council met at the ambassadorial level on April 20. Last week, we - the foreign ministers - decided to hold another meeting ahead of the NATO summit in Warsaw," Steimeier said.

The situation in Donbass

The situation in Donbass remains tense, German Foreign Minister said.

"According to media reports we receive, the situation in the east of Ukraine remains tense," he said. Security situation ‘is unsatisfactory’ and the same can be said about the political process. "I cannot hide my disappointment," the top diplomat said.

"We must direct all our strength and creativity towards the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict," he added.