France, Germany to Continue Joint Work on Minsk Deals Implementation - Macron

PARIS (Sputnik) — France and Germany will continue to work jointly to implement the Minsk agreements on Ukraine in the "Normandy format," French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

"The threat is at our doors, the war is on our continent. For sure in Syria, but also in Europe, and therefore it is necessary to maintain a dialogue with Russia… to resolve the crisis with Ukraine and other crises on the continent. France and Germany will continue to work together on the implementation of the Minsk agreements in the 'Normandy format,'" Macron said, addressing ambassadors at the Elysee Palace.

He again urged all parties to the Ukraine conflict to observe the truce announced last week in Donbass.

The contact group for the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine in Minsk agreed on a new armistice in the Donbass from midnight August 25. This is the fifth ceasefire attempt since the beginning of the year and the third one to ensure a truce before the September 1 start of an academic year since the beginning of the conflict.

In February 2015, the warring parties to the conflict signed the Minsk peace accords, brokered by the Normandy Four (Germany, France, Russian and Ukraine), in order to stop the fighting in the crisis-torn region. The truce, however, has been repeatedly breached, with Kiev forces and Donbas militia accusing each other of the violations.