NEW YORK. Dec 2 (Interfax) - The refusal of Berlin and Paris to attend an informal meeting at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which was attended by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, compromises them as mediators of the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.
"What happened today compromises the role of Berlin and Paris as mediators in the Ukrainian crisis. Instead of that, they think more about how to cover Kyiv," Nebenzya said at the meeting, which was broadcast on Youtube.
The boycott by Berlin and Paris raises questions on the expediency of holding future summits in the Normandy format, he said. The Normandy Four on the settlement of the situation in Donbas are Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France.
Diplomats from Germany and France not only did not participate in the informal consultations, but also "worked with other delegations to convince them not to participate," Nebenzya said. He said these efforts partially brought about results as Western countries are boycotting the meeting.
"Western countries made a decision to ignore this meeting. Why are they afraid? Why not listen to the people who represent Donbas?" Nebenzya said.
"It's possible that they're just afraid of hearing what's really happening in Donbas," he said.
The informal meeting is being held in accordance with the so-called Arria formula, which is usually used for exchanging opinions on complex issues.