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Ukraine would welcome US joining Normandy talks, says president

President Vladimir Zelensky spoke in favor of expanding the Normandy Four talks during his electoral campaign

KIEV, August 28. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has expressed his support for the US potentially joining the Normandy Four talks.

"Ukraine would welcome the US joining the Normandy format," he said during a meeting in Kiev with US National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Read also

Progress on Minsk Agreements needed before summit in Normandy format — Lavrov

According to the Ukrainian president’s press service, Zelensky thanked the US side for its "strong support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, steady official policy on Crimea and efforts aimed at achieving progress on Donbass peaceful regulation."

The Ukrainian leader has expressed his hope that the US "would be able to become more involved in the Donbass negotiation process."

Zelensky spoke in favor of expanding the Normandy Four talks during his electoral campaign, naming the US and the UK among potential newcomers. However, during recent contacts, Russia, Germany and France stressed that the Normandy Four would remain unchanged for now.

The French Foreign Ministry noted that Paris is not looking to bring new members to the Normandy talks on Ukraine. "France and Germany carry out regular dialogue [on Ukraine] and closely cooperate with US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker. The question of expanding the Normandy format is not currently on the agenda," the statement informed.

The Normandy Four talks on Ukraine have existed since June 2014, when the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, who gathered in Normandy for the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day (the landing of allied troops in 1944) discussed the settlement of the conflict in southeastern Ukraine for the first time. Several top-level and foreign minister-level phone calls and meetings have been held since then. The latest Normandy Four meeting took place on October 19-20, 2016 in Berlin.

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Ukraine United States France Germany Vladimir Zelensky

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