French President Emmanuelle Macron has said he plans to hold a meeting in the Normandy format before the G20 summit, which is scheduled in Hamburg on July 7-8.

"We will hold a meeting in this format before the G20 summit," he said in an interview with the Figaro newspaper and several other European publications.

In addition, Macron said that negotiations with colleagues in the Normandy format will allow him to better understand at what stage the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict is.

"Regarding the Ukrainian issue, I will give you a clear answer after my first negotiations within the framework of the Normandy format. But it is quite clear that it is our duty to protect Europe and its allies in the region [in the east of Europe]. We should not deviate from our position," he said in an interview with the French newspaper Figaro and several other European publications.

As reported, Macron, after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 30, announced the need for negotiations of the Normandy Four (France, Germany, Ukraine, Russia) as soon as possible.

The Ukrainian side confirmed its readiness to hold the Normandy format meeting at the highest level. First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko said in mid-June that the meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Four would happen "much faster than before the end of the summer."

On June 21, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that the telephone conversation between the leaders of the Normandy Four would be held before the end of June.