Preparation in final stages for Normandy format meeting over Ukraine, confirms Kremlin

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany will discuss the situation in Ukraine in Paris on December 9, Kremlin confirmed.

"It is true. The preparations are underway and they have already entered the final stage," Xinhua quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The Kremlin spokesperson further informed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a telephonic conversation "largely related to preparations for the Normandy-format (the four countries) meeting" without giving any further details.

Established in June 2014, the Normandy Four is a contact group for senior officials from the four countries to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Earlier, the Elysee Palace too had announced on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in the French capital to seek a solution to the Ukraine crisis.

It is expected that a plan approved in October by the Trilateral Contact Group of diplomats from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, would be firmed up during the upcoming summit.

According to Xinhua, the plan envisages holding elections in eastern Ukraine and granting the rebel region temporary special status, which requires changes in Ukraine's legislation.