The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany have made a huge step towards the long-awaited peace in southeast Ukraine. According to the Belarusian President, it takes years to address the issues of war and peace, but the Normandy Four managed to reach agreements in just 15 hours. The debate was apparently so intense that the politicians got back to the negotiating table several times.
Following the results, the contact group signed an agreement, with a corresponding declaration adopted by the Normandy Four leaders. The key point of the document is a complete ceasefire starting from 15 February.
As noted by Alexander Lukashenko, the main task for now is to implement the documents signed in Minsk by the Normandy Four and the contact group on Ukraine.
A constitutional reform, which is a remote prospect, should come into effect in Ukraine later this year. Its key elements are decentralization and the adoption of a law on the status of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Also, a decision has been made to intensify the activities of the trilateral contact group.
