02:00German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk agreement on Ukraine following a Normandy Four meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Saturday.
Speaking during a joint statement, Gabriel stated "heavy weapons must be removed," adding that "we have secondly agreed that the Red Cross will be granted access to humanitarian issues such as the exchange of prisoners of war in particular."
Germany's top diplomat also announced that the Normandy format talks would occur again in a few weeks "to prepare for the political process which is the most difficult task."
He concluded the statement saying that a withdrawal of heavy weapons is a crucial prerequisite for the political process to be launched.
Both the Ukrainian forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have accused each other of violating Minsk agreements during a resurgence of fighting in the country’s east.
Germany: Sigmar Gabriel and France’s Ayrault reaffirm commitment to Minsk
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk agreement on Ukraine following a Normandy Four meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Saturday.
Speaking during a joint statement, Gabriel stated "heavy weapons must be removed," adding that "we have secondly agreed that the Red Cross will be granted access to humanitarian issues such as the exchange of prisoners of war in particular."
Germany's top diplomat also announced that the Normandy format talks would occur again in a few weeks "to prepare for the political process which is the most difficult task."
He concluded the statement saying that a withdrawal of heavy weapons is a crucial prerequisite for the political process to be launched.
Both the Ukrainian forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have accused each other of violating Minsk agreements during a resurgence of fighting in the country’s east.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk agreement on Ukraine following a Normandy Four meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Saturday.
Speaking during a joint statement, Gabriel stated "heavy weapons must be removed," adding that "we have secondly agreed that the Red Cross will be granted access to humanitarian issues such as the exchange of prisoners of war in particular."
Germany's top diplomat also announced that the Normandy format talks would occur again in a few weeks "to prepare for the political process which is the most difficult task."
He concluded the statement saying that a withdrawal of heavy weapons is a crucial prerequisite for the political process to be launched.
Both the Ukrainian forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have accused each other of violating Minsk agreements during a resurgence of fighting in the country’s east.