During telephone conversations on Sunday, Presidents of the Russian Federation and France, Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron agreed to organize a meeting of the tripartite contact group in Ukraine “in the coming hours”, the Elysée Palace said.
The meeting is necessary so that all interested parties “confirmed their commitment to the cessation of fire” on the contact line. Reuters, with reference to the unnamed adviser to the President of France, said that the Group’s meeting was scheduled for Monday.
In addition, the Presidents of Russia and France agreed to resume work in the “Norman format” “on the basis of exchanges of views and proposals made by Ukraine in recent days,” reports RBC with reference to the statement of the representative office of the French president.
Parties also agreed that it is necessary to achieve a diplomatic solution to the current crisis in the east of Ukraine. “For this, in the coming days and weeks will be conducted intensive diplomatic work. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will meet with his colleague Lavrov in the coming days. In Paris, several consultations will be held,” the release will be held.
Putin’s conversation and macron lasted 1 hour 45 minutes, Paris reported. After a conversation with Putin, Macgron took place negotiations with the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky. According to the results of this conversation, Zelensky wrote in his Twitter account that he informed the President of France about the current situation and about “new provocative shelling”. The Elysee Palace, in turn, said that in a conversation with Macron, President of Ukraine “confirmed his determination not to respond to provocations and observe the cease-fire mode.”