Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 24 July (BelTA) – Progress in resolving the situation in Ukraine’s east could be more significant if a Normandy Four meeting was arranged and the Minsk agreements were improved. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei made the relevant statement during the official visit to Slovenia, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

Vladimir Makei said he agreed with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Karl Erjavec. “Unfortunately, we believe that there are no prospects of getting the crisis in Ukraine’s east resolved in the near future. To secure peace and accord in the region, all the sides have to unconditionally fulfill the Minsk agreements. They don’t. If we see that they don’t, it means we should probably think about organizing another Normandy Four meeting. Other players may be involved in order to improve the agreements reached in 2015 and determine a clear-cut mechanism to control the fulfillment of these agreements. Then progress in resolving the situation in Ukraine’s east may be more significant,” said Vladimir Makei.

Vladimir Makei repeated that arranging a meeting in the Normandy Four format with possible involvement of additional players was the idea. “I am not talking about a meeting of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus,” stressed the official.

Vladimir Makei added that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had been to Ukraine on an official visit a few days before and had discussed these matters among other things with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko. Belarus is interested in resolving the crisis in its southern neighbor as soon as possible, stated Vladimir Makei.