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German Foreign Minister calls to revive Normandy Format to implement Minsk Agreements

Annalena Baerbock said that both Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their readiness to do everything to continue the Normandy Format talks as soon as possible

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

© Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Germany is certain that the Normandy Format must be "revived" in order to make progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at a press conference in the wake of the talks with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Tuesday.

"Now it is important to flesh out the Normandy process again in order to move forward with the implementation of the Minsk agreements. This would contribute to the reinforcement of security in Europe. It is encouraging that all sides to the Normandy Format and Minsk Agreements stated their adherence to the Agreements," the Minister noted.

She added that both Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their readiness to do everything to continue the Normandy Format talks as soon as possible.

The peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbass is based on the Minsk Agreements, which not only include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of arms, an amnesty and the restoration of economic ties, but also a deep constitutional reform based on a dialogue with representatives of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics, which must result in the decentralization of power with consideration of the special status of specific parts of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions of Ukraine. However, the negotiating process has effectively reached an impasse, because Ukraine refused to implement the political articles of the Minsk Agreements.

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