Minsk meeting on the evening of February 12: Leaders of four countries all confirmed their attendance

On February 11, the leaders of all four countries, Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine, confirmed that they will participate in the Normandy summit, scheduled to take place tonight, Vietnam time, in the capital Minsk of Belarus.

In a statement released on February 11, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in the capital Minsk to attend a summit on the situation in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and French President Francois Hollande at talks in Moscow on February 6. (Photo: AFP/ VNA)

Earlier, in a phone call the same day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande also agreed to attend the above-mentioned summit.

The two leaders stressed “last-ditch efforts” to resolve the 10-month conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko also confirmed that he will go to Minsk to attend the meeting.

According to Ukraine's Interfax news agency, the meeting is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m. on February 11 in Belarus, around 9 p.m. the same day Vietnam time.

Speaking before the meeting, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the meeting was a step forward but could not guarantee a resolution to the Ukraine conflict.

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said this is one of the last opportunities to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

According to statistics, since the conflict broke out in Eastern Ukraine in April 2014, 5,400 people have died and more than one million people have had to leave their homes to seek refuge./.

According to VNA