Date for Normandy Four summit being discussed - Prystaiko

12.11.2019 09:53

Ukrinform

The date for a Normandy Four summit has already been determined and is being discussed through diplomatic channels, but Russia has not yet given its consent, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko.

He said this live on the Freedom of Speech program on the ICTV channel on Monday, November 11, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The ball is currently in Russia's court. Russia has been driven into a corner. You know that German Chancellor [Angela Merkel] called [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, and I am sure that they had a conversation about that - when and how we can meet. According to official printouts of the conversation, we do not see a specific date, but that date is being discussed through diplomatic channels," Prystaiko said.

He added that there are approximate dates that he cannot mention now, as they must be agreed by all four parties so that they could find time in their leaders' schedules. But "these specific dates do exist," the minister said.

Commenting on the approval of a final summit document as Russia's new condition for holding such a meeting, Prystaiko said that political advisers of the Normandy Four discussed only two conditions at a meeting on September 2 - the approval of a so-called Steinmeier formula and the disengagement of troops in three areas.

"We did not discuss any third condition," he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during which they discussed preparations for the Normandy Four summit.