Ukraine, Germany agree on meeting of experts to discuss monitoring mission in Kerch Strait – FMs

17:24, 19.01.2019 1 min read

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Germany, Pavlo Klimkin and Heiko Maas, have agreed on a meeting at the expert level to discuss a common vision of the monitoring mission in the Kerch Strait.

"We have agreed that we will have a meeting of experts in a short term. There are political, legal and technical issues. If we have a joint vision, we can continue to work with the Russian side," Klimkin said at a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Kyiv on Friday.

In turn, the German Foreign Minister is convinced that it will be possible to agree on such monitoring. According to him, it is necessary to de-escalate the Azov Sea region.

"This is a hotbed of hazards for both the region and the parties involved, which may have long-term consequences," the minister explained.

Maas said that the German and French sides are ready to take on the costs of the monitoring mission.