Merkel and Poroshenko plan Minsk Process relaunch in Berlin

President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Berlin on May 20 to focus mainly on the future of the Minsk agreement. Deutsche Welle reported on May 20 that Merkel told Poroshenko that she wants to see the Minsk Process restarted. Moreover, Merkel stated that “Today our main theme will be how to improve the security situation… [which] is the main precondition for making further political progress.”

Poroshenko put a slightly different slant on the meeting. Interfax-Ukraine reported on May 20 that the main thrust of the meeting was the restart of negotiations, but that the president also claimed that, “It was stated that the Russian Federation is not complying with the Minsk agreement, and that we need to develop a script that would motivate Russia… to do what it promised.”

James Hydzik: Despite the fresh face of French President Macron, there is little impetus at this time for political progress regarding the fighting in and status of south-east Donbas. With the clash centered on Avdiyivka at a lull, we also expect the military situation to remain stable in the near term except in relation to political or symbolic events – no sustained action that would change the situation is expected.