BERLIN
Germany and France have offered to help reinforce the fragile cease-fire in Ukraine by supplying aerial drones to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced Friday.
Speaking in a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, he said: “Germany has offered two drones. Now we are waiting for the response of the OSCE and member states and of course the response of Ukraine and Russia.”
Klimkin described the deployment of German and French drones as a “very important contribution” for the cease-fire.
A group of German and French soldiers visited Ukraine last month to study the feasibility of deploying drones in Ukraine’s border region.
German Foreign Ministry Spokesman Martin Schaefer said Germany and France worked together on the details of the mission but submitted separate proposals to the OSCE..
Bild newspaper reported last week that Germany had begun preparations to deploy up to 200 soldiers in Ukraine.
A cease-fire agreement signed on September 5 has appeared close to breaking down due to frequent outbreaks of sustained fighting, particularly around Donetsk airport.
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