"Norman Four" agreed on the withdrawal of heavy weapons

At the four-party talks on Ukraine, certain progress was achieved and an agreement was reached on the creation of security zones between pro-Russian separatists and government forces.

This was announced by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“Today an agreement was reached that the demarcation line mentioned in the Minsk Protocol will be the line from which the immediate withdrawal of heavy weapons should begin,” said Steinmeier after the end of negotiations with his colleagues from France, Russia and Ukraine.

At the same time, he noted that much depends on whether "our agreements will remain only on paper or will still change the situation on the ground."

In a joint statement issued by the German Foreign Ministry, the ministers expressed "serious concern" that the sharp escalation of hostilities in eastern Ukraine led to the death of many people, including civilians.

“This should cease immediately, and the silence regime should be restored,” the statement said, which also noted that the ministers called on all parties on the ground to fully comply with it. This, in particular, is about the removal of heavy weapons from the line of contact, as indicated in the Minsk Peace Plan.

The ministers noted that the planned summit should be preceded by tangible progress in the full implementation of the Minsk Protocol, including a cease-fire, an agreement on the delivery of humanitarian aid and the continued release of detainees.

The ministers of the four countries reiterated their support for the contact group on Ukraine and called on the participants of the Minsk Peace Plan to meet in the coming days for a real cease-fire and a withdrawal of heavy weapons.

They also called for the formation of working groups to consider relevant aspects of the Minsk agreements, writes Voice of America.