Ukraine crisis consequence of serious misunderstanding between Russia, U.S. - Lukin
MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax) - Russia's former ambassador to the United States and ex-human rights commissioner Vladimir Lukin said ceasefire is the first-priority task to be achieved while settling the Ukrainian crisis.
Lukin urged the U.S. administration to work in this direction.
"Ceasefire is the most important goal. It is impossible to seriously discuss broader issues when a sharp conflict continues," Lukin said at Interfax's main office during a TV link with Washington.
He said that the current crisis in Ukraine is rooted in a serious lack of understanding of the Russian and American sides' positions. "When relations take such a form, this means that one side seriously misunderstands the position of the other side," Lukin said.
"I could foresee ebbs and flows in Russian-American relations, but I did not expect them to take such a dramatic turn," Lukin said.
