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Ukraine ready for necessary decisions on Donbass at Normandy Four summit — Zelensky

It is high time to negotiate a settlement to the conflict in a substantive way, the Ukrainian President stressed

KIEV, January 11. /TASS/. Ukraine is ready to meaningfully negotiate ways of settling the conflict in Donbass at another Normandy Four summit, involving Russia, Germany, France, and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Tuesday.

"It is high time to negotiate a settlement to the conflict in a substantive way, and we are ready for the necessary decisions during another meeting of the four countries’ leaders," he said at a gathering with foreign policy advisers to the German and French leaders, Jens Plotner and Emmanuel Bonne.

According to the Ukrainian presidential office, a new Normandy Four summit would considerably bolster the settlement efforts in Donbass. "Ukraine, France, and Germany are taking serious efforts to resume resultative work in the Normandy format at various level. We expect the Russian side to support these efforts and promote progress in implementing the resolutions of the Paris-hosted Normandy Four summit. Another summit in the Normandy format would offer a serious impetus to the peace process," citing Andrey Yermak, chief of the presidential office.

According to the office’s press service, Zelensky, Plotner and Bonne agreed to continue contacts within the Normandy Four. "The sides agreed to maintain contacts within the Normandy format at the level of advisers to agree on the modality of another summit of the Normandy leaders," it said. "Ukraine shared detailed information about the implementation of the Minsk agreements and resolutions of the latest summit in 2019 with the German and French advisers."

Yermak reiterated that the Ukrainian side remains committed to the political and diplomatic means of settling the crisis and stressed the necessity of ensuring the ceasefire, prisoner exchanges and opening checkpoints in Donbass.

Last week, the Kremlin’s Deputy Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak had talks with Foreign Policy Adviser to the German Chancellor Jens Plotner and Diplomatic Adviser to the French President Emmanuel Bonne. After the negotiations, Kozak said that the parties had agreed to continue contacts, including with Ukraine’s participation, to finally settle the conflict in eastern Ukraine.