KYIV – The leaders of the Normandy Four countries – Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France – have finally agreed to hold a summit on December 9 in Paris in an attempt to resume the long-stalled negotiations over the future of eastern Ukraine. Moscow had delayed agreeing to a date, and even now continues its attempts to set the summit’s terms.
Meanwhile, complex discussions are under way between Kyiv and Moscow on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after the present contract expires at the end of the year. With Gazprom making proposals that Naftogaz finds unacceptable, the current negotiations are stalled.