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Poroshenko, Merkel, Hollande confirm necessity to hold meeting of Contact Group soon

15 January 2015 01:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The sides also said they were ready for further multisided talks in the “Normandy format” in case there is progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements, APA reports quoting ITAR-TASS.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have confirmed the necessity to hold a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine in the near future, the Ukrainian presidential press service reported Wednesday.

Poroshenko on Wednesday spoke by phone to Hollande and Merkel to discuss further steps to peacefully settle the situation in Donbass (Donetsk and Lugansk regions). The leaders confirmed that the settlement could be achieved if all provisions of the Minsk agreements are fulfilled.

“In particular, they noted the importance of reaching the contact line mentioned in the Minsk memorandum of September 19, 2014, and withdrawal of military hardware,” the press service said.

Poroshenko, Merkel and Hollande agreed that the holding of a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukrainian crisis settlement within the next few days is required to discuss implementation of Minsk agreements’ provisions. The sides called for all hostages to be released.

The sides also said they were ready for further multisided talks in the “Normandy format” (Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany) in case there is progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the Contact Group holds a session and a fruitful foreign ministerial meeting is held.