The United States are not going to join meetings in the Normandy format alongside the leaders of Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia to resolve the conflict in the east of Ukraine. This was stated by US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, Radio Svoboda reports.
"I do not think that now there are plans on the US adherence to the Normandy format. But that does not mean that the US is not active at the diplomatic level. We are cooperating with Ukraine; we have consulted with France and Germany. Periodically, we also have a meeting with the Russians to see if there are ways for constructive progress in this process. This is how the United States support Normandy Quartet", she said.
In this case the question of why the United States is not affiliated to any of the formats of negotiations on Donbas, neither Normandy format nor Minsk, Marie Yovanovitch said, "I think we will support Ukraine in other ways and we already are very active in this support. We keep in touch with the Ukrainian authorities, as well as with our partners in France and Germany".
Earlier Marie Yovanovitch said that disengaging forces in Donbas is a move towards security, which makes holding local elections possible. However, for that to happen, this security should be stable and long-lasting.
