Bilateral relations are "excellent", stressed Chancellor Angela Merkel when she received the Ukrainian head of state Petro Poroshenko at the Federal Chancellery. That is why Germany is attempting "to be of assistance in Ukraine’s economic restructuring, in economic support measures and on humanitarian matters". Following the visit of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk a few weeks ago, the intensive dialogue with Ukraine’s leadership continues.

Minsk agreements as a platform

"I believe that it is good that we are meeting, because if we look at February’s Minsk agreements we must realise that we are not yet where we want to be," declared Angela Merkel. There is still no full ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. In Shirokino and at Donetsk airport in particular almost every day brings new injuries and deaths.

In this context, the Chancellor thanked the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine and the deputy chief monitor Alexander Hug, for all their work. It is vital that a ceasefire be achieved at these two hotspots too, she said. She announced that this would be one point on the agenda of the talks.

"I see the Minsk agreements as the platform on which we must act. And Germany will work with France to do everything it can," said the Chancellor. That is why she once again discussed the Minsk agreements with President Vladimir Putin last Sunday (10 May). They agreed to continue with what is known as the Normandy format to move things forward, she reported.

"It is arduous and difficult," said Angela Merkel, but added, "Ukraine deserves full support on its way to economic success and to peace. And Germany will continue to support it."

For Ukraine’s European path

President Poroshenko thanked the Chancellor and Germany, "Ukraine’s great friend and reliable partner", for the constant support. This is very important especially in terms of humanitarian support in rebuilding infrastructure in the Donbas and overcoming the economic crisis caused by the war. Thanks to the concrete assistance provided, Germany has been not only a reliable bilateral partner, "but also a leader within the European Union".

The speed at which the German parliament, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, ratified the Association Agreements with the Eastern Partnership states is clear proof, said President Poroshenko, of the support Germany is giving Ukraine on its European path.

Focus on practical matters

The Chancellor pointed to the establishment of four working groups within the framework of the Contact Group talks as another focus of her meeting with the Ukrainian President. They are to implement the political points of the Minsk agreements "step by step". It is important in this context, said Angela Merkel, "not only that these working groups are set up but that they actually get to work".

Over and above this, there is one issue which "is vitally important to Ukraine for obvious reasons" and that is the exchange of prisoners, "which has not yet made the progress that we would have hoped to see and that was in fact agreed".

Keeping dialogue open with Russia

At the government press conference federal government spokesperson Steffen Seibert explained once again that the full implementation of the Minsk package of measures was also discussed during the Chancellor’s visit to Moscow. The lesson that we should learn from the remembrance ceremony marking the end of the war, underscored Steffen Seibert, "is that we should always try to solve conflicts peacefully and diplomatically, through dialogue".

The German government’s stance on the annexation of Crimea is clear and corresponds to the viewpoints of partners within the EU and in the USA. "Our position has not changed," said the spokesperson clearly. It is still a matter of defusing the Ukraine conflict and resolving it. The detailed and frank discussion between the Chancellor and President Putin served precisely these ends.

Russia is "involved in the Ukraine crisis in both political and military terms". This was confirmed by the report of the murdered Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, he said. "That is why Russia is now called on to do its bit to solve the conflict and to bring its influence over the separatists in this region to bear," declared Steffen Seibert.