Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France discuss Minsk truce deal

Berlin says leaders of Germany, Ukraine, Russia and France have renewed their commitment to implementing a truce deal reached in 2015 aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Tuesday that she held phone discussions on the Ukraine crisis with Russian, Ukrainian and French presidents, Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko and Francois Hollande Monday night.

The German statement, issued early Tuesday, further noted that the four leaders emphasized their commitment to implementing the “security and political aspects of the deal” which was reached in 2015 in Minsk, Belarus, between Kiev and pro-Russia forces operating in eastern Ukraine.

The four leaders also reiterated the significance of honoring the ceasefire and also called for more progress on the swap of prisoners under the deal, the statement added.

They also expressed optimism that the four-country format would continue its work under France’s next president.

The 2015 deal, which was brokered by Russia, France and Germany between Ukraine’s warring parties, has helped reduce the extent of fighting in Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions, but violence has continued and attempts at a political resolution have failed.

Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have seen deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April 2014 to crush pro-Moscow protests there.

The crisis has so far left over 10,000 people dead, according to the United Nations.

The warring sides also inked another truce deal, dubbed Minsk II, in February 2015 under the supervision of Russia, Germany and France.

However, both sides have since accused each other on numerous instances of violating the ceasefire.

EA