Normandy Format Work on Ukraine Peace to Continue Despite Stalling Minsk Deal

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the level of the Minsk deal implementation at the moment is not satisfactory.

WEIMAR (Sputnik) — The work of the Normandy format on the Ukraine conflict settlement will continue, but the level of the Minsk deal implementation at the moment is not satisfactory, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Sunday.

"For two years we have been making diplomatic efforts with France as part of the Normandy format. They will, of course, continue, but I will not hide the fact that we are not satisfied and cannot be satisfied with the level of the Minsk agreements implementation," Steinmeier said at a joint press conference with his French and Polish counterparts.

Kiev launched a military operation in the country's east in April 2014 after the local residents of Donetsk and Lugansk regions refused to recognize new Ukrainian authorities, which came to power after the coup earlier the same year.

In February 2015, Kiev and the two regions reached a ceasefire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine – the so-called Normandy format — in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Despite the Minsk peace accords, both sides to the conflict have continued to blame each other for multiple ceasefire violations.

On August 26, Kiev said that the sides to the conflict had agreed to a ceasefire starting September 1.