PM: Geneva format of talks most suitable for crisis settlement in Ukrainian-Russian relations

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk considers the Geneva format of consultations the most appropriate (Ukraine – the EU - the United States - Russia): "Despite many tested formats, both bilateral and multilateral, we believe that the Geneva format is one of the key and most suitable for solving the crisis in the Ukrainian-Russian relations," he stated following a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday, November 18.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has stressed the importance of the meeting with the German Foreign Minister on the eve of his visit to the Russian Federation. The Prime Minister of Ukraine has emphasized that the Government appreciates the role of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Foreign Minister of Germany "in attempts to resolve the conflict that threatens not only Ukraine but also the world order as well as global security."

"We insist once again that Ukraine needs peace and the Ukrainian state, the President and the Government are doing their utmost to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine," he said.

At the same time, Arseniy Yatsenyuk has underlined that the Minsk agreement is observed by Ukraine and "flagrantly violated by the Russian side": "The basic provisions of the agreement, such as regaining control over the Ukrainian-Russian border, stopping the supply of weapons from Russia to Ukraine and the withdrawal of the Russian army and Russian terrorists from the territory of Ukraine, are not executed."

"Taking into account the lack of another agenda than the Minsk agreement, Russia must implement what it signed and what it promised the entire world," the Prime Minister of Ukraine emphasized.