Bringing together Ukraine and Russia, as well as Germany and France as co-mediators, this discussion format established four years ago on the sidelines of ceremonies marking the D-Day Landing on June 6, 1944, aims to resolve the Donbass conflict.

Attending his first ministerial meeting in the Normandy format, as is his German counterpart, the minister will express France and Germany’s hope that the parties will swiftly recommit to the implementation of the Minsk agreements of September 2014 and February 2015. The ministerial meeting in Berlin follows recent contacts between the heads of state and government of the Normandy format countries: a meeting between the French President and the German Chancellor with the Ukrainian President in Aachen on May 10, and trips to Russia by Madam Merkel and the French President on May 18 and May 24-25 respectively.

As President Macron emphasized on May 24 during his visit to Saint Petersburg, the coming months will be decisive. Without concrete advances on the political, humanitarian, economic, and security fronts, it’s the credibility of the current peace process that is at stake. Everything must be done to end a situation marked by hundreds of cease-fire violations each day, dozens of deaths each month, the use of heavy weaponry, and a deteriorated humanitarian situation for residents of the conflict zone.

France and Germany will therefore make proposals to Ukraine and Russia in each of these areas in order to build momentum for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements and culminating with the return of Ukraine’s sovereignty over territories currently under separatist control within a framework of local autonomy.

Minister HeikoMaas after the Normandy Meeting in Berlin twitted: “All sides stated their commitment to a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons, improved protection of critical infrastructure and talks on establishing a UN mission”.

Minister Lavrov said that Ukrainian ombudsperson Liudmyla Denisova would have access to those held behind bars. “It is important that she has access to all,” minister Klimkin said, adding that this would be the first small step. During the meeting he called specific names, in particular Oleg Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, political prisoners who are now on hunger strike, who are in serious condition.

Sources: France Diplomatie, Ukrinform, Twitter-Account of German Foreign Office