Talks in Normandy format should be continued, Berlin believes

"We believe that the Normandy format can function," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Rainer Breul, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The diplomat refused to agree with the Russian side that murder of Donetsk militants’ leader Alexander Zakharchenko was committed on political grounds. At the same time, he noted that Berlin believed that political negotiations were especially needed when violence occurred. Germany, which is a party to the Normandy format, considers it viable and is ready to continue to work in it, Breul assured.

As reported, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called assassination of leader of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” Alexander Zakharchenko a provocation aimed at disruption of the Minsk agreements and said it was inappropriate to meet in the Normandy in the short run.

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