09 December 2019, Monday, 18:12 138

Zelenskyy Arrives At Parisian Elysee Palace For Normandy Four Meeting

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the Elysee Palace (the residence of the French president) in Paris for bilateral meetings and a joint summit of leaders of the Normandy Format countries (Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France).

The press service of Zelenskyy has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris. At the official residence of the President of France, the Head of the Ukrainian State will have a number of bilateral meetings. Also, there will be a meeting of four leaders of the countries participating in the Normandy Format: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The main issue on the agenda is a discussion of further steps and terms for peace in Donbas," the statement reads.

According to the statement, a communique will be prepared after the summit.

Besides, Zelenskyy will take part in a joint press conference with the leaders of France, Germany and Russia, scheduled following the results of the meeting.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, at the summit, Zelenskyy will raise the question of an alternative plan to transfer control over an uncontrolled section of the state border with Russia in Donbas to Ukraine, different from that provided for in the Minsk Agreements, but so far has refused to disclose its essence before the meeting of the Normandy Four.

Zelenskyy also admits a discussion with Putin in Paris on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, but without any connection with Donbas issues.

Energy and Environmental Protection Minister of Ukraine, Oleksii Orzhel, and acting director of the group of the Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint-stock company, Yurii Vitrenko, might take part in the meeting in the Normandy Format (with the participation of Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France) as advisers of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.