Photo credit: pixabay.com
The presidents of Russia, Ukraine and France and the Chancellor of Germany meet for Normandy Four talks in Paris. The summit is held in the evening of December 9, it is the first meeting in three years, TASS reports. Before the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin had bilateral meetings with Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel. Negotiations with Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky will take place after the meeting of the Normandy Four.
Putin and Zelensky can discuss, among other things, topical issues on the gas agenda. The Russian and Ukrainian President meet in person for the first time. Prior to this, they talked several times on the phone.
The convening of the summit by itself is called by many experts a breakthrough in the process of resolving the situation in the Donbass. The draft document was agreed in advance. While its contents have not been disclosed, its main provisions, experts say, are consistent with the Minsk agreements.
There is enough common ground in the positions of the summit participants. These are the problems of the release of prisoners, a long-term truce, the further withdrawal of forces from the front line.
However, the parties have different opinions on a number of issues. One of the most controversial questions is the elections. Zelensky insists that they should pass only after the transfer of control over the Donbass to Kiev. There is no clarity with the position of Kiev on the special status of Donbass. The validity of this law, which in practice has not yet entered into force, ends at the end of December. Kiev wants a new document to be adapted, while Moscow sees this step as a threat of derogation from the Minsk agreements.
Earlier, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled that the law on special status of the Donbass is an integral part of the Minsk agreements. Moscow has also always emphasized that direct dialogue with the republics of the Donbass is one of the main factors in the settlement.
According to Peskov, one should not expect any fateful statements from a meeting in Paris. The Kremlin was cautiously optimistic about the Normandy Four Summit, he added.
Russkiy Mir
