You're reading: Ambassador: France expects Ukraine and Russia to fulfill Minsk agreements

France expects Ukraine and Russia to observe the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the situation in Ukraine’s east, French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont has said.

“We expect both the Russian and Ukrainian sides to abide by the commitments they undertook when signing the agreements, which envisage in particular the ceasefire, formation of a demilitarized area both sides of the contact line, as well as determining the clear legal status of Donbas as part of the Ukrainian state,” Dumont said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine agency.

In her words, the compliance with individual provisions of the agreements is a key condition for solving the crisis. “However, the ceasefire is violated daily. Over the past few days the situation has deteriorated, which is demonstrated by the constant increase in the number of casualties,” the diplomat said.

“At the same time, we understand Russia’s role in this conflict, in particular its influence on separatists. Based on this we expect that it will create conditions which will allow the fulfillment of the part of the agreements, which deal with security, and will exert the necessary pressure for the return the Ukrainian enterprises confiscated this March,” Dumont said.

The diplomat also stressed they expect Russia to do everything possible for the release of captives.

At the same time, she noted that such a complicated conflict cannot be resolved quickly.

“Therefore the task of the Minsk agreements and the Normandy format talks lies in allowing them to take a step at a time based on the roadmap passed by the heads of states and governments,” the ambassador said.