Ambassador of the European Union to the Russian Federation Markus Ederer told Izvestia newspaper that the EU notes progress in relations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
“We noted the progress in Russian-Ukrainian relations, which is also important for relations between the EU and Russia. If you look at the five principles that determine the EU’s policy towards Russia, the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements is number one. The Norman Four summit was important. And given the three-year pause, it’s an absolutely necessary step. And any serious change in relations between the EU and Russia will be based on progress in relation to the Minsk agreements and their implementation”, – he told the newspaper.
Ederer noted that the meeting in Paris was basically a confirmation by the parties of their existing obligations, but these negotiations will surely give the peace process a new dynamic, just as the election of the Ukrainian President and his first steps gave him new dynamics.
“But, as the British say, to find out what pudding is, you need to try it. The same is the case with the Minsk Agreements: their essence lies in their implementation. Therefore, it is extremely important that the obligations undertaken by the parties in Paris be implemented”, – the ambassador added.
The first summit in three years for the leaders of the Norman Four countries – the Russian Federation, Ukraine, France and Germany – ended in Paris on Tuesday night with the adoption of a joint communiqué and arrangements to meet in Berlin four months later to continue work on resolving the situation in the Donbass.