US interested in Zelensky’s proposal to expand Normandy Format
The US is interested in and open to the possibility of expanding the Normandy Format by including the US itself or the UK, US chargé d’affaires in Kyiv William Taylor told Eurointegration in an interview.
“President Zelensky has already raised this issue, and so yes, this possibility is being considered. Zelensky explained: since the Normandy Format has not had success, has not led to any results, he proposes to invite the Americans or, for example, the British to join Normandy. We consider it an interesting proposition,” Taylor remarked.
“I can say that we are interested in it. Kurt Volker represents the US in talks on this matter, and he also said that he is interested is such changes, and is already discussing it,” he added.
On the morning of August 6, Russian militants broke the ceasefire that began on July 21, firing a hand-held rocket-propelled grenade launcher at soldiers from Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade. Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed as a result.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the incident was the end of the truce. The following morning, he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone. Putin said that in order to de-escalate the conflict, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics will need to be given a special status.
On August 7, Zelensky called French President Emmanuel Macron and requested that an urgent session of the Normandy Format be convened. Macron said that he would contact Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to make arrangements.
The German government later confirmed its willingness to restart the Normandy negotiation process. On August 11 it was reported that representatives of the US, Germany and France would be meeting in the coming week to discuss the Normandy Format.