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The Ukrainian side will seek to unblock the work of the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas in order to advance the peace process. Ukraine’s representative at the Normandy four meeting, Head of President’s Office Andriy Yermak stated this at a briefing in Berlin, as reported by the press office.
“One of the goals of the Ukrainian side at the talks of political advisers of the Normandy format is resuming the work of the Trilateral Contact Group in order to further advance in a peaceful settlement and end the war in Donbas,” head of Zelensky’s office assured.
The Ukrainian side will also suggest initiatives to improve the verification of the complete ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. In addition, Yermak stressed that Kyiv will promote the issue of the release of detainees and the re-opening of the checkpoints on the contact line.
Read also: Berlin’s refusal to supply weapons to Kyiv is Berlin’s old Ostpolitik policy, – Umland
February 10, political advisers from Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany hold Normandy format talks on eastern Ukraine in Berlin, as planned during the previous meeting on January 26 in Paris. The first face-to-face meeting of the representatives of four countries held in the Elysee Palace over more than twelve months lasted for more than eight hours.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock promised together with her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian to intensify negotiations in the Normandy format as part of diplomatic efforts to resolve the tense situation around Ukraine and Russia.
Read also: No concessions on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, – Berlin and Kyiv trace common red lines
Normandy four format and Minsk Trilateral Contact Group are two formats, aimed at resolving the Donbas issue. Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Ukraine was created in May 2014 to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the war in Eastern Ukraine. It includes several subgroups – humanitarian, economic, political, etc. Ukraine, Russia, and OSCE are the official parties of the TCG in Minsk.
