BERLIN, November 29. /TASS/. The work on implementing the agreements on settling the Ukrainian crisis is progressing slowly but should continue despite all the difficulties, Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum on Tuesday.

"All this (work on Minsk deal) is challenging, but according to my experience, we have no other opportunity rather than devoting ourselves to solving these difficulties," Steinmeier said.

Germany’s top diplomat stressed that the agreements reached by the Normandy Quartet (Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France) allowed "alleviating tensions" and keeping the situation under control.

The work on the Minsk agreement needs to be continued if the parties to the conflict are interested in this, he said.

Steinmeier is scheduled to take part in the meeting of the Normandy Quartet foreign ministers in the Belarusian capital Minsk later on Tuesday to discuss settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.