MOSCOW, December 30. The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine held a phone conversation in “channel format”.
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The Kremlin believes the right to hold the contacts between the leaders “channel four” to the end of the year
“At noon, well in fact now must begin a phone conversation in “channel format” in which to participate (President Vladimir) Putin, (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel, (French President Francois) Hollande and (Ukrainian President Petro) Poroshenko,” – said the press-Secretary of Russian leader Dmitry Peskov.
He added that the results of the conversation, the Kremlin will inform journalists. Peskov noted that “generally, these conversations last for some time and are associated with the need for translation and so forth.”
“Normandy format” has traditionally been used by the leaders of the four countries to discuss Ukrainian issues. Now one of the most acute problems in this field is the expiration of the agreement on Ukraine, called “Minsk-2”, and the leaders will decide about their fate. Meanwhile, Putin repeatedly stressed that Russia does not see any alternatives to this package.
THE MINSK AGREEMENT
On 12 February the negotiators of the contact group in Minsk signed the previously agreed with the heads of the participating countries “channel four” document, providing for a ceasefire in the Donbass February 15. The negotiations “Norman Quartet” consisting of the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and France, as well as the German Chancellor continued in Minsk in various formats (in the narrow format with participation of members of delegations) from the evening of 11 February, a total of about 16 hours.
