Germany's foreign minister is suggesting that Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine could work together to resolve tensions between Moscow and Kiev following the weekend's incident near Russian-annexed Crimea.
Germany and France brokered a 2015 accord to end violence in eastern Ukraine, most of whose provisions remain unfulfilled. The two European powers have met at various levels with Russia and Ukraine over recent years in the so-called Normandy Format. Foreign ministry political directors from the four countries held a previously scheduled meeting Monday.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Tuesday that Berlin has "called on Russia and Ukraine to show the greatest possible restraint, and offered to work on a solution in the Normandy Format."
He added that "we must do everything for de-escalation, to prevent this crisis turning into an even more serious crisis for security in Europe."
