Normandy Four Agreements Should Be Formalized Before Next Summit - Lavrov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2019) The new summit on the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine in the so-called Normandy Four format should not be organized until the previously reached agreements are given a legal form, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview, released on Thursday.

"There are some 'Normandy format' agreements which I have mentioned. Our German and French colleagues have confirmed them and these agreements are an inviolable condition for moving forward. Let us formalize them. After it, new 'Normandy' summits will be prepared," Lavrov said in the interview with RBC.

Lavrov recalled that the Normandy Four had previously reached agreements on separating forces along the disengagement line and introducing laws on the special status of the embattled Donbas region and holding elections there.

"[The presidents] have given instructions to put these agreements on paper.

They have not been implemented since then. So, before gathering in the Normandy format once again, this forum should be at least treated with respect and the previous agreements should be legally formalized," the top diplomat explained.

The Normandy Four is one of the formats of the Ukrainian crisis settlement. The high-level talks include the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Servant of the People party, supporting new President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has suggested that the United Kingdom and the United States should be included in the talks.

In late May, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that the next Normandy format meeting might be held in July, adding that the exact date had not been set yet. However, the Kremlin has said that it was not clear when and where the next Normandy format meeting would be held.