MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. The Ukrainian delegation at a meeting in Paris on Friday between assistants to the leaders of the Normandy Quartet countries (Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine) demonstrated a constructive approach to resolving the situation in Donbass, Director of the Center for Current Politics Alexey Chesnakov told TASS.
"At the meeting of assistants to the leaders of the Normandy Quartet, held yesterday in Paris, plans for further actions in the framework of the format and the Minsk Contact Group on the settlement of the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine were discussed. France and Ukraine were represented by new people who recently took over their posts, while Germany and Russia sent usual representatives. Specific decisions were outlined for both the medium term and the regular session of the Contact Group, which will be held next Wednesday in Minsk," Chesnakov said.
The expert noted that, unlike its predecessors, the new representative of Ukraine showed a constructive approach to resolving the situation in Donbass. "According to the participants of the meeting, the new Ukrainian delegation showed a rather constructive approach, its style contrasted sharply with the predecessors' manners. Whether the new form has the same new content will be seen in the coming days. If the Contact Group in Minsk succeeds in agreeing on the compromises planned in Paris for dismantling the military fortifications, as well as repairing and maintaining of the bridge in Stanitsa Luganskaya, then this will be a good sign. If not, it will be clear that, in essence, Ukraine’s position remains the same - sabotaging the Minsk process. We will soon see. We will hope for the best," Chesnakov said.
He also added that the meeting participants discussed the possibility of another meeting of leaders of the Normandy Quartet. "As far as we know, there was also a discussion in Paris about the possibility of meeting between the leaders of the Norman Quartet. It was decided to return to this issue later. It was recognized that the possible next summit should be preceded by intensified work on implementing the decisions of the Berlin meeting of leaders held in 2016," Chesnakov concluded.