The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France agreed on Wednesday on a road map aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in eastern Ukraine, though details of the plan still need to be worked out. “I’m convinced it was right to reopen the channel of talks at this level again,” Merkel said after the meeting. She conceded the four “didn’t achieve miracles” but said the talks were necessary “in order not to lose momentum”. Also discussed was the creation of so-called disengagement areas to separate the warring parties, as well as measures to improve the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, Merkel said. The road map is part of an effort to implement the so-called Minsk agreement of February 2015 on ending the conflict, in which more than 9,600 people have been killed.

Source: The Guardian October 20, 2016 01:30 UTC