German FM Wants to Discuss Syria With Russia at Talks on Ukraine

Berlin intends to discuss Syria and the possibility of introducing another humanitarian pause in Aleppo at talks with Russia, France, and Ukraine on the Donbass conflict, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Tuesday.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — On November 29, the foreign ministers of the so-called Normandy Four comprising Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine are due to meet in Minsk to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.

"At the moment, we are trying to take advantage of today's talks with Russia in Minsk in order to at least ensure humanitarian support [to the Syrian population] in the coming days," Steinmeier said at an foreign policy forum in Berlin.

The Normandy Four group which comprises Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine was created in 2014 to secure a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. In February 2015, the quartet leaders worked out a ceasefire deal in Minsk, Belarus, signed by representatives of the Kiev authorities and the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

"Minsk accords were not the solution of the conflict, but they became something that prevented the conflict from setting all of Ukraine on fire," Steinmeier said.

The German foreign minister admitted that the Minsk agreements were being implemented slowly but pointed out the significant deescalation of the conflict.