The Russian Foreign Ministry disclosed the correspondence of Sergei Lavrov with the Foreign Ministers of France and the Federal Republic of Germany 
France and Germany in order to avoid distortions of Moscow's position on the meeting of diplomats in the “Normandy format”. The message appeared on Wednesday, November 17, on the agency's website.
The text says that recently Russia's position, its role in the internal Ukrainian settlement and approaches to a possible ministerial meeting in the “Normandy format” are being distorted.
To prevent further speculation, the Russian Foreign Ministry decided to publicize the primary sources and publish the diplomatic correspondence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov with the heads of the foreign affairs agencies of Germany and France H. Maas and J.-I. Le Drianom
Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister First letter
In a letter dated October 29, 2021, Lavrov wrote to his colleagues that I would like to reaffirm the importance of continuing joint efforts within the framework of the Normandy format to help resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
I believe that our possible meeting, the convening of which is now much talked about, should be well prepared, including the early development of a detailed joint final statement with specific recommendations to Ukraine and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as parties to the conflict
Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister
Lavrov also noted that he was sending a Russian draft “such a document, which, as it seems to us, reflects the realities and main tasks of the peace process.”
What is said in other letters? that I received a message from colleagues on the proposals from October 29 and is disappointed with them. In the latest letter, which was sent on November 16, Lavrov notes that Moscow is increasingly faced with a distortion of Russia's position and its role in resolving the internal Ukrainian conflict.
Unfortunately, your joint statement “ In Support of Ukraine '', made in Brussels on November 15 following a meeting with Foreign Minister D. Kuleba, was no exception. In it, you threatened us with some “ consequences '' for the alleged attempts to undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine, they accused us of “ another refusal '' from participation in the Normandy format ministerial meeting
Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister
In addition, in this letter, Lavrov noted that he was forced to take an unconventional step – to publicize the correspondence.
Statement by the Foreign Ministry of Germany and France
On November 15, it was reported that the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany Jean-Yves Le Drian and Heiko Maas expressed regret over Russia's refusal from the “Normandy format” to resolve the situation with Ukraine. “We express regret that Russia has repeatedly refused to meet at the level of foreign ministers in the Normandy format, and once again express our readiness to meet and interact constructively and substantively,” the joint ministerial statement said.
Before that, Lavrov stated that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine could be accelerated if Washington forced Kiev to respect the position of the United States and the UN Security Council on the observance of Minsk-2. According to him, no new dates for the meeting in the “Normandy format” to resolve the situation in Donbass are being discussed. He also announced the position of the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns on Donbass. According to Lavrov, Burns reaffirmed the importance of fulfilling the Minsk agreements and observing the special status of Donbass.
Normandy format
At the end of October, Ambassador to Russia Gez Andreas von Geir announced that Berlin and Moscow are already preparing a meeting at the Normandy format “of the foreign ministers of Germany and Russia, but the date of the talks has not yet been determined.
The proposal to hold a meeting in the Normandy format was made in early November by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian during the G20 summit (G20), but he could not answer the question of where its participants should come. The same information was previously confirmed by a RIA Novosti source at the French Foreign Ministry. At the same time, Lavrov later denied plans to hold a meeting.
The situation in Donbass escalated on October 26. For the first time, the Ukrainian armed forces used the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone in battle. The authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said that the Ukrainian military had occupied the village of Staromaryevka in the “gray zone”. Kiev has not officially confirmed the information.