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Russia not against US joining Normandy Four, unclear what it can bring — senior diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov expressed his doubts about the degree of US’ potential involvement in the containment of Kiev and in demanding that the Ukrainian authorities fulfill the Minsk Agreements, should Washington join the format

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. Russia is not opposed to US joining the Normandy Four format, but it does not quite understand what Washington may bring to it, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told journalists Thursday.

"First, we are not opposed to [the US joining the Normandy Four format]. Second, it is not us who have doubts about it. Third, we don’t quite understand what the Americans can bring to this format," he said.

Ryabkov expressed his doubts about the degree of US’ potential involvement in the containment of Kiev and in demanding that the Ukrainian authorities fulfill the Minsk Agreements, should Washington join the format.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Russia does not discuss the US’ accession to the Normandy Format with Germany and France.

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