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Normandy format still exists, Paris does not reject it, top diplomat says

Jean-Yves Le Drian believes that such a platform for dialogue is necessary

BERLIN, February 23. /TASS/. The Normandy format (Russia, France, Germany, Ukraine) still exists in settling the situation in Ukraine and Paris has not rejected it, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

"The Normandy format continues to exist, we do not reject it," the French top diplomat said. According to him, "this format is important for the promotion of a peaceful settlement." "The space for discussion should remain open," he added.

"The principles are formed in the Minsk Accords, and the path to them is through the Normandy format," the French foreign minister said. "This venue is necessary for dialogue," he noted.

The first Normandy Four talks took place in France in June 2014 amid the commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the allied landings in Normandy. At that time, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany met for the first time to find a solution to the conflict in Donbass. Five summits have been held since then. The latest top-level meeting took place in Paris on December 9, 2019.

The situation at the Donbass engagement line flared up on February 17. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian armed forces over the past months. On February 18, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin announced civilian evacuations from the republics to Russia due to the mounting danger of hostilities. On February 19, the Donbass republics announced a general mobilization.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR. Agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders.

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