Crisis in Ukraine: France plays the diplomacy card
A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea, Tuesday, January 18, 2022. AP
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While tension is still very high on the northern, eastern and southern borders of Ukraine, with Russian troops massed there and Russian-Belarusian maneuvers announced, diplomatic efforts continue to try to avoid escalation.
France is trying an initiative.
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The Élysée believes that there is still "
space for diplomacy, for de-escalation
", while recognizing that the situation is very volatile.
For France, appeasement could go through the revival of the “Normandy format”.
The Russian, Ukrainian, French and German advisers are to meet tomorrow in Paris.
Previously, the law on the transition period in the Donbass was withdrawn from the Rada for amendment.
This document refers to Russia as "
an aggressor and occupying state
".
Moscow had warned that in the event of adoption of this law, Kiev would automatically come out of the Minsk agreements.
►Also read: Ukraine: Washington dramatizes, the Europeans moderate the tone, Paris proposes a meeting
Another delicate point to address: the question of the special status of Donbass and in particular the
Steinmeyer Formula
, which provides for the holding of elections in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, under the supervision of the OSCE.
If the latter deems that the ballot is free and fair, a special status of autonomy will be put in place for these territories and Ukraine will then regain control of its eastern border.
Another subject of concern for Paris: that Europeans speak with one voice.
Emmanuel Macron will be in Berlin this afternoon to try to develop a common position with Chancellor Scholz.
Finally, the French president has also planned to meet soon with Vladimir Putin.
With this in mind, he sent his special representative for Russia, Pierre Vimont, to Moscow.
►Also read: Ukraine: the European Union must dialogue with Russia, pleads France
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