Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 11 February (BelTA) – The Minsk format of talks on Ukraine has proved their value, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei told media ahead of the international conference “One Year of Minsk-II Accords: Achievements, Challenges, Lessons Learned” on 11 February, BelTA informs.

“The Minsk format of talks has proved its value and if all the stakeholders had stayed committed to the Minsk Agreements, the conflict would be ended by now,” the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

According to Vladimir Makei, Belarus takes no one’s position in the conflict and proceeds from its national interests.

Experts of the Normandy Four member states (Germany, Russia, France and Ukraine) have gathered in the Belarusian capital to mark the 1^st anniversary of the Minsk Agreements and analyze the progress, failures, lessons and future challenges in their implementation. The participants of the conference are expected to work out recommendations for all the parties to the conflict in the east of Ukraine.

Following the 16-hour talks on 11-12 February 2015 the leaders of the Normandy Four member states agreed on ceasefire in Donbass. A Set of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements was signed in the presence of the four leaders. The move helped deescalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine and save human lives on both the sides. However, the Minsk Agreements were on the brink of collapse many times due to the increasing political and military tension in Donbass.