French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have expressed a desire for Russia to be more flexible in the Minsk process, but the statements of the Ukrainian authorities that the Minsk agreements are a rudiment cause bewilderment among them. This was announced on April 11 by the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov in an interview with the author of the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin ”to Pavel Zarubin on the Russia 1 TV channel.
When asked whether the French and German authorities understand who really adheres to the implementation of the Minsk agreements, Peskov replied: “In many ways, yes. <...> And, of course, when we more and more often at various levels hear statements that the Minsk complex of measures is already an almost useless rudiment, then this probably causes bewilderment not only among us, but also in Paris, and in Berlin. “
According to a Kremlin spokesman, Macron and Merkel “have certain disagreements,” but “there is a desire” for Russia to “be more flexible as a participant in the Minsk process.”
Earlier, on April 9, following telephone conversations with his Ukrainian counterpart, US Secretary of State and Foreign Minister of Germany, French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said that France and Germany would continue to make efforts within the Normandy format to achieve full implementation of the Minsk agreements on Donbass.
At the end of March, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron held talks. They discussed the situation in Donbass, the situation in Belarus, Syria and Libya, as well as the joint fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
When discussing the situation in southeastern Ukraine, the parties confirmed that there is no alternative to the Minsk set of measures.
Since 2014, Kiev has been conducting a military operation against the residents of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup and the new government in Ukraine. The settlement issues are being discussed in the Minsk and Normandy formats – with the participation of Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany.