Poland wants to be mediator in talks on Donbas

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 - 10:22 (EEST) Section: Latest news

A new stage of Ukrainian-Russian negotiations should take place with the participation of Poland, because the “Normandy format” has exhausted itself.
This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna, Gazeta Wyborcza reported.
“Ukrainian-Russian negotiations ended. Now you need a new stage. I think these discussions should take place with the participation of the Polish side,” the newspaper quoted the new foreign minister as saying. “The Normandy format of negotiations has exhausted itself,” he said.
Schetyna also appreciated the work of his predecessor, Radoslaw Sikorski, adding that his credit is Poland’s impact on the Weimar Triangle countries.
The minister added that he realized the concerns of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary regarding new sanctions against Russia, but urged them not to soften their positions.
He also added that the effect of new sanctions could be significant only for a few weeks.
As reported, on June 6, 2014, in Normandy (France), informal talks were held between Ukrainian and Russian Presidents Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin. The talks were mediated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.