The Russian side will demand at the upcoming ministerial meeting of the Normandy Four in Berlin on June 11 that the Steinmeier formula be documented and heavy weapons withdrawn in the Stanytsia Luhanska area, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“The Russian side is planning to demand to immediately restore the status quo as was in the populated localities of Zolote and Petrivske after disengagement of forces was exercised there in 2016 and to finalize this process in Stanytsia Luhanska. After the withdrawal of heavy equipment and weapons, this will be a significant step toward sustainable cessation of hostilities in accordance with the Minsk Agreements,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary published ahead of the Normandy Format meeting.
In the commentary, Moscow also raises the issue of “the need to document the agreement reached at the Normandy Format summit held in Paris on October 2, 2015 and confirmed by Normandy Quartet leaders in Berlin on October 19, 2016. The agreement is on the procedure for enactment of the law on special status for Donbas, better known as the Steinmeier formula.
