The dispute between Russia and Ukraine threatens to escalate again. International diplomacy is required. A key role of Germany in the “Normandy Format”. What’s behind it?
The foreign Ministers of the Normandy Format countries, Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia in Berlin (11.6.2018)
One thing seems clear, it is difficult for Heiko Maas (SPD): The German foreign Minister has been assigned in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in the Azov sea, in particular, the “Normandy Format” has a key role to ensure peace in the troubled region. The Format is named after the place of the first meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in June 2014. Since then, on different levels of negotiations.
For Maas, the time is of the essence, as he confirmed on Tuesday in Berlin: “We must do everything for a de-escalation, to prevent this conflict, an even more severe crisis for the security in Europe.” The Russian foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, the enhanced efforts of his German colleagues seem to matter, however, warmly. Only a short time after the Utterances of SPD politician, Lavrov issued the advance of a cancellation.
More fire extinguisher as a problem solver
Vera Rogova is an expert in intra-state conflicts, the focus is on Russia, at the Leibniz-Institut Hessische Stiftung Friedens – und Konfliktforschung (HSFK) in Frankfurt, Germany. You agree with Heiko Maas. Basically, says the expert, it is very good that there is the “Normandy Format” a forum for dialogue and a channel of communication between the conflict parties, Russia and Ukraine, and the intermediary role of the disinterested States, Germany and France. You can also see the current conflict in the sea of Azov. On Monday evening German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken on the phone “with Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin both called for moderation”. Such conversations, says Rogova, from their view Central, in order to prevent further escalation””.
Vera Rogova, an expert in intra-state conflicts
In spite of the support from the Federal foreign office in Berlin and the praise of the expert: The truth is that the Format has made it his Central concern that no significant progress. In February 2015, the participating States had decided in Minsk, a 13-point catalogue of measures, the so-called “Minsk agreements”. The goal: the settlement of The conflict in the Ukraine. To the Minsk agreements calls for a ceasefire, a withdrawal of combat troops and political reforms.
A top-level, adopted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the former French President, Francois Hollande, and Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for this purpose, a concrete roadmap meeting in mid-October 2016 in Berlin. Whose goal is the control of the Ukrainian government over the separatist areas in the East of Ukraine. Nothing Substantial has been implemented since then.
Criticism of the NATO, praise for the Normandy Format
For Vera Rogova from the HSFK, the current incident shows before the Crimea, however, is what can have a positive role in the “Normandy Format” on current conflicts. Critical, you see, in this connection, in particular the role of NATO: “There were very different reactions from the West. The Secretary-General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, for example, is very much on the side of the Ukraine”.
Stoltenberg met, said Rogova, very quickly, the assessment that NATO will support Ukraine: “even though Ukraine is not part of NATO. This step, I think, is relatively dangerous, because he favored a military confrontation.” Alone by offering rounds in the Normandy Format conversation, explained Rogova, you “very much for the reassurance of the talks”.
The beginning of the Normandy Format in 2015: Angela Merkel with Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko and Francois Hollande
The evaluation of the expert, supports the reasoning of the German foreign Minister, Heiko Maas. Maas just got back from a trip abroad returned from Spain, does not want to give up. Despite the cancellation of Russia, he has been campaigning on Tuesday afternoon at his counterpart in Moscow, Kiev and Paris in the Normandy Format. In these times it was “by what is now happening currently, is actually more necessary than ever,” he said in Berlin. Also as regards a future Meeting at the highest diplomatic level, he remained confident: will be discussed “in due time” is again among the foreign Ministers.