Ukraine doesn't want to delay next Normandy-format meeting
Ukraine does not want to delay the next meeting in the Normandy format, but it would like the agreements the leaders of the four countries, i.e., France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine, reached at their meeting in Paris in December 2019 to be implemented as much as possible, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said.
"We also believe that as many of the agreements reached as possible should be implemented. Unfortunately, in the Russian system, in which virtually any matter depends on the president, a meeting with the Russian leader is extremely important for further progress. This is exactly why we don't want to delay this meeting. But Russia, perhaps, also understands this when it says that a meeting hasn't been planned thus far," Prystaiko said at a news briefing in Kyiv on Monday.
Of the seven agreements reached among the leaders of the countries involved in the Normandy-format talks, only those concerning the exchange of prisoners have been "more or less implemented," he said.
"We're very happy that this has happened and hope that the next exchange will return nearly 200 Ukrainians from detention. As for the six remaining agreements, no success has been made, even on a ceasefire, which is evident from the death of another one of our serviceman," Prystaiko said.
The leaders did not specify a particular date for the next summit in the communique of the Paris meeting, and this is why there has been regular speculation on the matter, he said.
"Therefore, we're making plans and working, but this doesn't necessarily have to happen in April," Prystaiko said.