"In the current conditions, the" ball "is largely on the side of Kiev, which is to implement the Steinmeier formula in the legislation of Ukraine ... by coordinating its text, the Contact Group does not exhaust all the necessary amendments related to granting Donbass special status on an ongoing basis," Lukashevich said during his speech, the text of which is cited by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
He stressed that the prospect of organizing a summit of the “Norman Four” can only be confirmed after the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission confirms the separation of forces and assets in the settlements of Petrovskoye and Zolotoye in the Donbass.
“The implementation of these instructions just opens the way for a new summit of the Norman Four. Otherwise, a meeting for the sake of a meeting is hardly in demand, ”the Russian Permanent Representative specified.
Lukashevich also warned the Ukrainian leadership against attempts to use the Norman format to solve its domestic political problems.
“It is important not to completely waste the opportunities that arose after the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine, as well as to consolidate the positive emerging in the Contact Group,” the Russian diplomat noted.
He recalled that "in the current conditions there can be no" Plan B "for settlement in the Donbass, except for direct dialogue between Kiev and representatives of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Pristayko said that Kiev expects to hold a summit of the “Norman Four” in late October.
The Kremlin, in turn, confirmed the preparations for the Norman-format summit on Ukraine at the level of presidential aides.