Merkel Advocating for ‘Steinmeier Formula’ Implementation by Ukraine

German Chancellor Angela Merkel considers it necessary to implement the “Steinmeier formula” in the Ukrainian legislation.

“It is necessary to implement the ‘Steinmeier formula’ in the Ukrainian legislation. We want to achieve elections in these regions [temporarily occupied territories of Donbas],” Merkel said at a joint briefing with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Germany.

She noted that “Germany will continue to advocate for progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.”

At the same time, the Chancellor stated that there was no progress in the implementation of these agreements. According to her, Ukraine has opened many entry-exit checkpoints along the line of contact, while Russian-backed militants have not done so “to the same extent” in the occupied territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

In October 2019, the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for the settlement of the situation in Donbas signed the “Steinmeier formula” in Minsk. It stipulates a special status for Donbas which will take effect after fair democratic local elections are held there. Meanwhile, Russia must withdraw its troops and hardware from Donbas. The signing was one of preconditions for the meeting of the presidents of the Normandy format countries.

The formula was proposed by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, incumbent president of Germany and then German foreign minister.

Bohdan Marusyak