All news

Normandy Format on Ukraine does not depend on Belarusian events - Merkel

The format allows Germany and France to provide assistance to Ukraine, which is important, German Chancellor added

BERLIN, May 31. /TASS/. The Normandy Group’s activities aimed at resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine have nothing to do with developments in Belarus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said following a meeting of the German-French Council of Ministers on Monday.

"In my view, the Normandy Format does not depend on what is happening in Belarus," said in response to reporters' questions.

"No matter what, it is important to continue work within the Normandy Group though it’s not easy to achieve progress there," she pointed out. "The format allows Germany and France to provide assistance to Ukraine, which is important," Merkel added.

The Normandy Quartet was established in June 2024, when the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine for the first time discussed ways to resolve the Donbass conflict during the celebrations of the 70th D-Day anniversary in the French region of Normandy. A number of telephone conversations and meetings involving the four countries’ leaders and foreign ministers have taken place since then.