Macron tells Zelensky by phone he backs idea of holding Normandy Four

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he informed about the deaths of four Ukrainian soldiers as a result of shelling of enemy troops in Donbas, and also called on the leaders of the Normandy Four countries to immediately meet. The French leader supported the initiative.

“The President of Ukraine called on the leaders of the Normandy Four countries to urgently get together to keep the peace process going, agree on the next steps aimed at the final resolution of the conflict. Emmanuel Macron expressed full support for the initiatives of Ukraine, agreed on the need to hold a summit in the near future, which should be preceded by a meeting of official representatives of all four parties,” the Ukrainian president’s press service said on Wednesday.

According to information, the French president also added that he would contact Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to have their consent on this initiative.

Speaking about the death of Ukrainian troops in Donbas the day before, Zelensky noted that this was not the first attack from the enemy, which aims to disrupt the peace process launched by the Ukrainian side.

“The President of Ukraine also informed Emmanuel Macron of other steps aimed at a peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in particular, the restoration of infrastructure, the exchange of prisoners and the like,” the message said.

In addition, Zelensky reported on Wednesday morning’s conversation with Putin, during which the head of the Ukrainian state called for a ceasefire and the return of sailors and other captured Ukrainians.