Zelensky links ceasefire violations in Donbas with meeting of Normandy Four leaders' advisers

He said this during a joint press conference with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna on September 15, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“I don’t know, maybe because there should have been a meeting of advisers, maybe because of this there was an aggravation of the situation. This happens very often. When a meeting in the Minsk format or a meeting of advisers is being prepared, we usually see some kind of tension. And, unfortunately, sometimes this tension ends in provocation. And, unfortunately, the provocation results in the death of Ukrainians," Zelensky said.

He recalled that starting from July 27, the ceasefire regime has been observed in Donbas, but in the seventh week it was violated and a Ukrainian serviceman was killed.

At the same time, the President stressed that "there can be no dialogue and there can be no further progress on the Minsk agreements without a ceasefire."

As Ukrinform reported, the meeting of advisers to the leaders of the Normandy format countries took place in Berlin on September 11.

A complete and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas was established on July 27, 2020.  At the same time, on September 6, the armed formations of the Russian Federation opened aimed fire from small arms at Ukrainian positions near Prychepylivka in Luhansk region. As a result of the shelling, one Ukrainian serviceman was killed.

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