Russia open to talks 'in any format' to end fighting in east Ukraine - Lavrov
MOSCOW. June 3 (Interfax) - Russia is open to talks "in any format" to end Wednesday's outbreak of fighting in the area of Maryinka, eastern Ukraine, but there are "all necessary mechanisms" for this on the ground, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
"We will be ready to get together in any format to urge the two sides to comply with the agreements, but there also are all necessary mechanisms on the ground. It's just that they should be fully activated instead of trying to ignore them or even questioning their effectiveness," Lavrov said in comments requested by Interfax, describing the Maryinka crisis as today's "acutest issue."
"The main point is to see the whole picture and realize that probably those who try to exacerbate the military situation on the contact line - no matter who they are - voluntarily or involuntarily pursue the goal of blocking progress along all other key tracks, primarily political, economic and humanitarian aspects of implementation of the Minsk agreements," Lavrov said.
"Because while people are shooting there probably is a pretext not to start political reforms," he added.
