Lavrov, Wang agree reason for crisis is Kyiv's refusal to implement Minsk Agreements encouraged by U.S. - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine in a telephone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The parties "exchanged opinions on the current situation in eastern Ukraine in the context of Russia's recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the decision of President [Vladimir] Putin in response to the request of the LPR and DPR leaders authorized by the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly regarding a special military operation in order to protect people, including hundreds of thousands Russian citizens, from the real threat posed by the current Ukrainian regime, which is not giving up attempts to solve 'the Donbas problem,'" the statement said.

"The ministers expressed a common opinion that the reason behind this crisis is Kyiv's refusal to implement the Minsk Package of Measures approved by the UN Security Council encouraged by the United States and its allies. It was stressed that Russia and China insist on the need for all countries to respect the principle of indivisible security," it said.