Lavrov, Kerry urge immediate end to artillery strikes in Donbas - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Jan 25 (Interfax) - Talks have been held by telephone on U.S. initiative between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
"The talks centered on the situation in southeastern Ukraine. Lavrov said that the situation has deteriorated as a consequence of the continuing shelling of populated areas by Ukrainian forces in flagrant violation of the Minsk accords," it said.
"Lavrov and Kerry urged an immediate end to the artillery strikes in Donbas, as well as heavy weaponry pullout," it said.
"The sides reaffirmed their readiness to facilitate the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis."
"Lavrov said in response to Kerry's proposal to expand the negotiating formats used in the effort to settle the conflict, that Russia was prepared to do all it can to push the conflicting parties towards a peaceful settlement, aware that real results can only be achieved through a direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk, which Kyiv has been dodging, opting for the use of force in a bid to suppress southeastern Ukraine," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Lavrov again urged the U.S. to influence the Ukrainian leadership into scrapping the military scenario, it said.