This may include ads from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Berlin is pushing for a diplomatic solution to the crisis with an adviser to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz due to meet counterparts from Paris and Moscow this week, but without Ukraine at the table. Henry Foy, a reporter for the Financial Times, tweeted: Own goal from Paris and Berlin as they agree to a Normandy Format meeting with Moscow to discuss Ukraine, without a delegation from Ukraine present.
More fuel for Russia's argument that big countries should decide the fate of smaller ones, size number of tanks, not GDP, obv The Normandy format is the name given to talks between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany to solve the eight year long crisis. Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, has refused to say anything about a possible meeting between Mr Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin, following a report in Bild saying that the leaders could meet this month. Hebestreit told reporters: Adviser to German Chancellor Jens Plotner will meet with his Russian and French counterparts this week. In December, Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready for talks in the Normandy Format or any other format. He said that our state cares about a strong sanctions policy that comes before a likely escalation. Only this type of relations based on precautionary measures can stop the military conflict that has been going on for eight years in the east of our country. At the time, the leaders of France and Germany tried to revive talks with Russia while keeping up pressure on Moscow to deter what the West says may be preparations for a new attack on Ukrainian territory. Emergency services swoop in REPORT Brexiteers shoot down fears over new EU trade rules LATEST Prince Harry's memoir '' to backfire hard on Duke of Sussex REVEALED French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Scholz and Mr Zelensky were meeting on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels to find ways to restart negotiations in the Normandy Format. More than 100,000 Russian troops have gathered around Ukraine's borders, along with weapons and armoured vehicles. Anne Applebaum warned in The Atlantic that alarm bells are louder in Washington than Kiev, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken telling European allies several weeks ago of a Russian invasion. She writes that rumours of genuinely terrible things to come are flying around other Western capitals, which means an invasion of Ukraine's capital and occupation of the country.