Contents tagged with Normandy Four

  • Putin, Macron and Merkel to discuss Donbas without Zelensky

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the situation in the Donbass without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the spokesman of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, RIA Novosti reports.

    According to Peskov, the joint video conference of the leaders of Russia, France and Germany is not being prepared as an event of the Normandy Four. Peskov added that one of the topics of the talks will be the Donbas.

    The …

  • Kremlin: Macron interrupted conversation between Putin and Zelensky at Normandy Four Summit

    Putin's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on the TV program “The Great Game” on Channel One Russia that during the Normandy Four Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron interrupted a personal conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

    According to Peskov, Putin and Zelensky talked together for 10-15 minutes, which is "not so short." "Then they were interrupted by President Macron, who insisted on continuing the work at the Normandy Four …

  • Ukrainian Interior Minister: Putin’s aide Surkov lost temper during Normandy Format talks in Paris

    After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Russian President Vladimir Putin "to just withdraw their troops from the occupied Donbass”, the adviser to the Russian President Vladislav Surkov began to shout and hurl papers, said Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov on the TV the program "Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster."

    "There was a very clear moment. Putin says, "Let's withdraw troops along the entire line of demarcation." Volodymyr Zelensky says: "Well, one moment. I believe we …

  • Russia to return ships seized in Kerch Strait to Ukraine

    Russia will return to Ukraine the ships detained during the conflict in the Kerch Strait, reports Kommersant, citing two informed sources.

    According to the newspaper's interlocutors, the countries are at the final stage of negotiations. Parties already agreed on the date and exact place of the transfer of the ships.

    Sources say that the return of the ships will take place at sea, not in port. Three Russian tugs will tow the vessels to an agreed point where three Ukrainian tugs will meet them. …

  • Russia intends to discuss Donbas special status at next Normandy Four meeting

    During the upcoming Normandy Four Summit on December 9 in Paris, the special status of the territories controlled by the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, with its inclusion in the Constitution of Ukraine, will be discussed, reports Kommersant, citing its source in Russian government. Other topics would involve security issues, amnesty, and elections.

    Security issues are related to the further withdrawal of forces and equipment in other areas of the demarcation line in the Donbas. …

  • Merkel and Putin discuss Normandy Four meeting

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed preparations for the Normandy Four summit during a telephone conversation, reports RIA news agency, citing the spokesperson  of the German Cabinet Steffen Seibert.

    "The main topic of their talk was the preparations to hold the Normandy Four summit as soon as possible. Also, they discussed the situation in Syria and Libya, as well as ongoing negotiations on the continuation of gas transit through Ukraine," said …

  • The Kremlin rejects idea of the US joining Normandy format talks

    The Press Secretary of Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Russia does not support the idea of the US participation in the Normandy Four negotiations to resolve the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, reports Radio Liberty. Peskov also noted that the United States could use its influence on Ukraine.

    Peskov’s comment was a response to the statement of the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who earlier said that it would be hard to find a solution to the Ukrainian conflict without the …

  • Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko speaks about squabble with Putin over Steinmeier Formula at Normandy summit

    Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that at the last Normandy Format summit in 2016 he and Vladimir Putin had a heated argument regarding the Steinmeier Formula.

    “The last meeting was in Berlin. Putin said: We have the Steinmeier Formula, written by Lavrov. I say: Here is a letter from the two foreign ministers of France and Germany, in which they set out what the Steinmeier Formula is. He takes this form, reads it and says: No, this isn’t it at all, Lavrov is writing the …

  • Putin's aide Surkov to represent Russia at the Normandy Four meeting

    Vladislav Surkov, aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin will represent Russia at the meeting of advisers on international affairs of the Normandy Four leaders, according Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, Interfax reports. “Surkov should represent us,” Peskov said.

    Earlier, Russia and Germany agreed to resolve the Kerch Crisis through the Normandy format, a diplomatic group of the representatives of four countries: Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France.

  • Putin: Normandy format meetings before the elections in Ukraine meaningless

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his briefing to the Russian media, stated that meetings in the Normandy format before the presidential elections in Ukraine, which will take place on March 31, are meaningless.

    “At the moment, meeting in the Normandy format during the election campaign that is taking place in Ukraine, is pretty much meaningless because today’s Ukrainian authorities have not shown any desire to comply with the Minsk agreements. They do nothing to implement these …