France and Germany are discussing their offers regarding the mandate of a United Nations peacekeeping mission to Donbas, Andreas Peschke, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office’s director for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia, has said.
“As for our participation (…) we are currently discussing this issue with our partners. First and foremost, with our French partners as we closely cooperate in the Normandy format. I believe, following it we will discuss the final option with Ukrainian partners and the Russian side,” Peschke told Interfax-Ukraine, replying to a question as to whether the German side is intending to put forward its offers on the peacekeeping mission’s mandate.
At the same time, he did not specify whether it will be joint offers of the German and French sides.
“I would not describe it so strictly, but our dialogue on this issue is underway. It should be joint efforts ultimately,” the diplomat said.
It is necessary to consider the deployment of such a mission to Donbas thoroughly, Peschke said.
“There are offers of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, there are offers of the Ukrainian side, and we believe this issue should be thoroughly considered,” he said.
Such a mission would facilitate the implementation of the Minsk Agreements, “if we are able to determine parameters that are mutually acceptable by the parties,” the German diplomat said.
Peschke said he believes it is possible to find a compromise on the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas in the near future.
