MOSCOW - Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev expects significant results in settling the crisis in Ukraine from a meeting of the Normandy Quartet leaders in Paris on October 2.
‘The agreement to meet is very important. But it also imposes great obligations on the leaders. They cannot just meet, talk and go, as this would undermine the authority of each of them,’ Gorbachev told Interfax on Friday.
‘There are signs that movement ahead is possible and that this progress could be significant, too,’ he said.
‘The people are tired of this war. The ceasefire has chiefly been observed since September 1. Negotiations on military and political aspects of the Minsk agreements are proceeding, even though not that smoothly. There has been no progress on the economic ones, but political progress perhaps would open some opportunities here,’ Gorbachev said.
The peace process in southeastern Ukraine should be supported in any possible way, he said.
‘I believe this needs to be supported. There are too many people in the media wishing to ruin the Minsk agreements, saying that nothing will come out of this and that the resumption of the military activities is inevitable,’ he said.
‘It is important now for policymakers and commentators to change the wave, lower the heat of polemics, and set their mind for positive developments. And the leaders should do so, too. I would particularly recommend this to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, and to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well,’ Gorbachev said.
