Foreign Minister Frank‑Walter Steinmeier following the Normandy Format meeting at the Munich Security Conference

Speaking in Munich on Saturday morning following the Normandy Format meeting with France, Russia and Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Minister Frank‑Walter Steinmeier said:

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Almost exactly a year ago today, facing the threat of an open military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine, we agreed in Minsk on a road map for a political settlement in eastern Ukraine.

Some things have calmed down since then; the fighting has become less intense. But we are still a long way from implementing the agreements reached in Minsk.

The outstanding issues are easy to state, but they remain hard to resolve, as became clear again at our meeting here in Munich today.

That is why we agreed today that, prior to our next meeting, the Contact Group and the OSCE will submit concrete proposals on how to improve adherence to the ceasefire, prepare for the local elections in eastern Ukraine and ensure security at the elections.

I trust that all those in positions of responsibility in Kyiv and Moscow are clear that we no longer have forever to implement the agreements reached in Minsk.

We simply cannot slacken our efforts to urge the parties to the conflict to take further steps. In this context Minsk remains the road map and the line of approach.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2016/160213_Ukraine.html?nn=479796