EU hopes ‘Normandy meeting’ to be important step in resolving conflict in Donbas

The European Union hopes that the Normandy Four summit will be an important step in the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas with full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The EU Delegation said this in a statement on Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We welcome the announcement of the date for the next meeting of state leaders within the Normandy format. We hope that this meeting will result in concrete measures aimed at putting an end to the violence and to the suffering of civilians who bear the brunt of the conflict, and, thus, it can be an important step in the peaceful settlement of the conflict with full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine" the statement reads.

In this regard, the EU once again commended the Ukrainian leadership for its unwavering commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and called on Russia to act likewise.

In addition, the European Union welcomed the progress in three disengagement areas in Donbas, and also expressed gratitude to Ukraine for the construction of a new bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska.

As reported, the next summit with the participation of the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia (the so-called Normandy Four) is to take place in Paris on December 9.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that he intended to raise at this meeting the issue of specific terms of Donbas de-occupation, the return of hostages, the resolution of the security situation, and the holding of local elections.