During a meeting of political advisers to the Normandy Four on May 26, Russian representatives made an attempt to exclude the Russian side as a participant in the conflict in Donbas, the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas said.

"Despite Ukraine's consistent attempts to return to full support for the ceasefire and the corresponding support of the mediators, France and Germany, today the representatives of Russia have brought the discussion to a question, the answer to which has been known to the entire civilized world since 2014, who are the sides to the conflict in Donbas," the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG said in Telegram.

It is reported that during the meeting between the political advisers "a tough exchange of views took place."

"Ukraine did not agree to Russia's attempts to exclude itself from the sides to the conflict," the Ukrainian delegation said.

They also recalled that "confirmation of Russia's participation in the conflict in Donbas are the statements of the leaders and high representatives of the EU, as well as the recent statements of U.S. President Joe Biden, in which Ukraine and Russia are noted as sides to the conflict."

"Despite the position of Russia, the position of the Ukrainian side remains the need for an early return to a full and comprehensive ceasefire and continuation of dialogue within the Normandy format and the TCG, the regular meeting of which will be held on June 9," the delegation said.