Currently, there is no expediency to change the negotiating Normandy format (Ukraine, Germany, France, Russia), as it functions, but this does not mean that Ukraine does not attract other players in order to facilitate these agreements, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"If someone is not formally included in the Normandy format, this does not mean that he does not participate in this process in one or another important form, this applies to the EU, the U.S. I do not see any expediency now to change the Normandy format, as it functions. It is difficult, it has never functioned easily and vigorously, but it exists, and it is necessary to reach an agreement in this circle. But this does not mean that we do not involve other players in order to facilitate these agreements," Kuleba said in an exclusive interview with Interfax Ukraine.

He also stressed that everything positive that was achieved in the peace process, including the ceasefire regime, the return of our prisoners, the return of ships - everything was achieved in the Normandy format.

According to him, the issue of the President's poll on the Budapest Memorandum was aimed at bringing a very substantive conversation about security guarantees for Ukraine to a new level. "This question is not so much aimed at reviving the Budapest Memorandum from the ashes of history, in order to bring to a new level a very substantive conversation about security guarantees for Ukraine: how they should be provided, what tools we need. I would urge to look at this issue in this vein," the Foreign Minister explained.

The minister stressed that the best guarantee of Ukraine's security is NATO membership, but the path to it will take some time. "Therefore, we must certainly follow the path of Euro-Atlantic integration and strengthen our Armed Forces, but in parallel we must build alliances and unions that will make us stronger," he said.

"For example, when the President of Ukraine leaves for Great Britain and agrees on additional resources to strengthen the Ukrainian fleet, this is also a contribution to our security guarantee. When the President goes to Turkey and agrees with the President of Turkey on the development of military-technical cooperation, the production of unmanned attack vehicles, cooperation in the Black Sea basin, this is also the creation of guarantees for our security. Do not look at it linearly: we sat down, signed a document and we have guarantees. When you have strong armed forces, a stable society and powerful allies, these are real guarantees," Kuleba summed up.