25 June 2021, Friday, 13:43 166

Zelenskyy Hopes That His Meetings With Biden And Putin Will Provide Alternative To Normandy Format For Resolving Situation In Donbas

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes that his planned meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will provide an alternative to the Normandy Format (Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France) or the Minsk Agreements to resolve the situation in Donbas.

He said this in an interview on the 1+1 TV channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"Today ‘Normandy’ relying on ‘Minsk’ or ‘Minsk’ relying on meetings in ‘Normandy’ - this is the only document or the only agenda. This is true. It does not need to be closed, but a new agenda needs to be opened. I think, that meeting with the President of Russia and my meeting with the President of the United States can give a different, different agenda in resolving these issues. In any case, we need to do everything, try," Zelenskyy said.

Speaking about a possible meeting with Putin, Zelenskyy noted that the administrations of the two Presidents have already contacted and now the "ball" is on the side of Russia.

He intends to discuss with Putin, first of all, security issues.

Zelenskyy also believes that the issuance of Russian passports to residents of Donbas, which is not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, is one of the evidence of Russia's violation of the Minsk Agreements.

He added that, according to confirmed data, at least 350,000-400,000 such passports have been issued.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, a meeting between Biden and Zelenskyy in the United States is scheduled for late July.

Zelenskyy would like to meet with Biden prior to his meeting with Putin.