Deputy Head of the Office of the President Vadym Prystaiko reported the results of the negotiations of the foreign policy advisers to the leaders of state and government of the Normandy format, which took place in Paris on July 12.
According to him, despite the fundamental differences in the views of the Ukrainian and Russian sides on the causes of the war in Donbas, certain agreements were reached. In particular, they relate to the cease-fire, the so-called "Khlibne" truce. Vadym Prystaiko reminded that the current ceasefire would be already nineteenth from the beginning of the war, so now the main task is to ensure its sustainability.
"So that we could finally stop shooting and thus fulfill the first paragraph of the Minsk agreements," he said. In addition, agreements were reached on the separation of troops and the mine clearance of Stanytsia Luhanska and two previously agreed sites, as well as the following territories were defined.
"We agreed to exchange a certain number of our captives within a month. President Zelenskyy spoke about 10 on 10, 15 on 15. We are not locked in the number of people. Our task now is to exchange, turn our people home and unlock the process of "all for all", Deputy Head of the Office of the President said. He recalled that the Trilateral Contact Group will be tomorrow in Minsk, in addition, The Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova is in Moscow now.
"The task of advisers to heads of state and government is to move from a dead point a negotiation process of various subgroups," Vadym Prystaiko said.
As for the possibility of a meeting of heads of state and governments of the Normandy format, Vadym Prystaiko noted that foreign policy advisers yet have to meet to assess the progress of the agreements reached in July.
"We plan to do this at the end of summer. It was really discussed when our leaders would have a possibility to meet. The general opinion - this should happen as quickly as possible. But we can not hold a meeting of leaders unless we see the implementation of reached agreements," he said.
Vadym Prystaiko also noted that initiatives to expand the Normandy format were repeatedly voiced. As you know, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on this in his address, suggesting that President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister be involved in talks. However, while official invitations to leaders of other countries have not been sent.
"The Norman format is not a Bible. The same as the Minsk format. We can not endlessly work within these formats unless they bring peace to our land. If we see and make sure that these formats have exhausted themselves, then we will look for others. This is what the President Zelenskyy tried to signal in general terms," he said.