Merkel: Normandy Format Meeting in Kazakhstan's Capital in Preparation

Photo:APGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that Foreign Ministers of Germany, Russia, France and Ukraine are preparing a so-called Normandy format meeting in Kazakhstan.

Foreign Ministers of Germany, Russia, France and Ukraine are preparing a so-called Normandy format meeting in Kazakhstan's capital Astana to discuss the situation in Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday, sputniknews.com reports.

"The foreign ministers of our countries [Germany and Russia], together with our colleagues from France and Ukraine are preparing such a meeting in Astana; in the coming days it will become clear whether it takes place," Merkel told reporters in Berlin after holding talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in December he plans to meet the leaders of Germany, France and Russia in Astana on January 15 for Normandy-format talks on Ukrainian reconciliation.

The so-called Normandy Quartet was established in June, when Russian, French, German and Ukrainian leaders met in northern France's Normandy to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.

Ukrainian peace talks have been held in several formats.

The discussions among members of the Contact Group on Ukraine in Minsk, which included representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR and LPR), resulted in two major agreements, including a breakthrough ceasefire deal. Both sides, however, have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce.