I initiate an urgent meeting of the Normandy format state leaders
I initiate an urgent meeting of the Normandy format state leaders – President following the meeting with military leadership. It is reported by Upmp.news with reference to Official website President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with military leadership on the situation in the east of Ukraine. The parties discussed the shelling that took place on August 6 near Pavlopil’ despite the “Khlibne” truce declared earlier as a result of which 4 Ukrainian servicemen were killed.
The Head of State commissioned to allocate apartments to the families of the deceased.
During the meeting, the military reported on the situation in the area of hostilities and at the border. Future steps were also discussed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed that he had held a phone conversation with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in the morning.
“I called him immediately and said that it did not bring us closer to peace. I urged him to influence the other side so that it stops killing our people,” the President said. In addition, speaking with the Russian side, the Head of State stressed the need to accelerate the construction of the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska and the return of Ukrainian captives.
The President of Ukraine also initiated phone conversations with state leaders of the Normandy format.
“It is necessary to meet with the leaders of the Normandy four as soon as possible. To look into each other’s eyes and to end this war,” he emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to have a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the Republic of Turkey, which begins today. He also expressed readiness to return home immediately in case of aggravation of the situation in the east.
“I want to contact Mrs. Merkel shortly and arrange an urgent meeting, so that we no longer tell each other that there should be a meeting in the Normandy format this year. How many more people can be killed this year?” the Head of State stressed.
For his part, Chief of the General Staff – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ruslan Khomchak informed that the Armed Forces reserves were currently located in certain positions in the state of combat readiness.
“The Armed Forces are ready to respond appropriately in the event of an unforeseen situation,” he said.
The Chief of the General Staff noted that the Armed Forces continued to fulfill their tasks in the area of the Joint Forces Operation. After the beginning of the indefinite ceasefire from 00:01, July 21, Ukrainian troops adhere to the agreements arranged. According to him, since then, the number of shellings of the positions of the Armed Forces has been significantly decreased and the shelling is aimless. At the same time, in some places of the JFO area, there were frequent occasions of precision fire.
“Six servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been killed and nine soldiers have been wounded since the beginning of the declared ceasefire in the JFO area,” Ruslan Khomchak said.
According to him, the military were ready to respond to the shelling, which yesterday took the lives of four Ukrainian defenders, however, according to intelligence, the enemy left his position after the shelling and is still gone. “As of this hour, no shelling has been recorded in the JFO area since 00:00,” he explained.
Also, Ruslan Khomchak stressed that in support of the peace initiatives of the President of Ukraine, military personnel continued to demine the land in the area of Stanytsia Luhanska.
“We have almost completed our area, except for the part of the destroyed bridge where there is no access yet. The rest of the measures determined by the President of Ukraine as regards the area of Stanytsia Luhanska have been fulfilled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the Chief of the General Staff said.