France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia will attend a meeting next Wednesday in Minsk to find a plan for peace in Ukraine. A meeting that will take place only “if by that day it will be possible to agree on certain positions”, emphasized the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin .

It is basically a three-day postponement, after today’s conference call between Angela Merkel, François Hollande, Petro Poroshenkoand the Russian president himself did not unblock the situation as he hoped, but as was widely expected. The video call has been defined as “exhaustive”, but the goal for the leaders is to continue “to work on a package of measures in the framework of efforts for a global solution to the conflict in the East” of the country. In the telephone conversation “progress” was made, as stated on the site of the Ukrainian presidency, according to which the four leaders expect their talks in Minsk to lead to a “rapid and unconditional ceasefire”.
Shortly before the words of the head of the Russian diplomacy, Serghiei Lavrov , had caused fears of further tensions. The plan, discussed in Washington, to supply arms to Kiev could have “unpredictable consequences and undermine efforts for a political solution”, said Lavrov yesterday meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Monaco . “The escalation of the confrontation on the Ukraine crisis with the pressure of sanctions is without perspective and Moscow will never sacrifice its national interests,” added Lavrov. But words to the Kerry responded by explaining that “there are no divisions” and that “there cannot be a military solution,” the US secretary of state said.

One thing is certain. The United States and Europe are on the same line with the policies to be taken against Russia over the crisis, as explained by Kerry, speaking at the Munich Security Conference. “There are no divisions and splits,” Kerry said. “Wednesday’s Minsk is a great chance,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini , who this morning said she was “very worried about the EU’s relations with Russia”. “There is no alternative to the diplomatic solution” in Ukraine – said Mogherini, at the conference – we will not accept compromises on international rules and principles “.

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni,on Raitre, he returned to talk of sanctions: “We absolutely must not resign ourselves to the idea that the path of dialogue is over. But if we do not get results, further sanctions will be inevitable, which Italy does not want”. Gentiloni then reiterated that there is a “huge risk” that the conflict will degenerate into a larger conflict.

Meanwhile, Germany has alerted an enormous convoy of humanitarian aid sent from Russia to Ukraine. Moscow has sent 170 trucks with more than 1800 tons of food, medicines, construction materials and other basic necessities to the Donbass populations. About seventy vehicles have already arrived in Lugansk, which with Donetsk is one of the rebel strongholds.