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Kremlin: ‘Some specific estimates’ on date of meeting among aides to Normandy Four leaders

Kremlin spokesman highlighted that the leaders’ aides will have to "arrange the situation for a high-level meeting"

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Plans are underway for a meeting between the aides to the Normandy Four (Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine) leaders, it is being convened to arrange a high-level Normandy Four summit, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

"There are some specific estimates. I will not jump ahead. I don’t know when it will take place exactly," Peskov said in response to a question about the possible date of the meeting between the foreign policy aides of the Russian, German, French and Ukrainian leaders.

The Kremlin spokesman highlighted that the leaders’ aides will have to "arrange the situation for a high-level meeting." "We intend to wait for the results of the aides’ meeting," Peskov said, when responding to questions as to when the Normandy Four leaders’ summit may take place.

Peskov noted that the Kremlin sets no conditions for the leaders’ meeting itself. "President Putin also supports the organization of such a meeting. Still, for the state leaders to gather together and start discussing something, someone has to prepare a foundation for this discussion, someone has to do the domestic work," the Kremlin spokesman said, noting that it is the foreign policy aides’ task. The Kremlin spokesman noted that "the effectiveness of the [possible] [leaders’] meeting is in the interests of each of the four summit participants." "However, the general attitude is that it is necessary to carry out the summit and renew work in the Normandy Four," Peskov concluded.

French President Emmanuel Macron earlier said in his speech at the final news conference of the G7 summit in Biarritz the intention to hold a Normandy Four summit in September devoted to the settlement in Ukraine. The last meeting of the Normandy Four leaders took place on October 19-20, 2016, in Berlin.