Normandy-format summit on Ukraine can only be discussed after disengagement of forces and hardware in Ukraine's crisis-torn Donbas region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th August, 2019) Normandy-format summit on Ukraine can only be discussed after disengagement of forces and hardware in Ukraine's crisis-torn Donbas region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday, stressing that it was necessary to gain understanding of the new Ukrainian government's stand on the Minsk process before planning any contacts in the Normandy format.
"We remind to our partners constantly that it is necessary to secure the fulfillment of the previously reached decisions, so that the reputation of the Normandy format is not damaged. One of these decisions is to disengage forces and hardware, starting from three 'pilot' areas [in Donbas]," Lavrov said at a press conference.
"Before discussing Normandy-format contacts in principle and planning such contacts, we would like to understand what position the new [Ukrainian] government will take on the Minsk agreements, after being formed," Lavrov added.
