Lavrov: Only Direct Dialogue Between Kiev, Donbas to Bring Results

Attempts to change the format of negotiations into the one, which doesn't include the self-procalimed republics in Ukraine's southeast, are unacceptable, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said.

BASEL, December 4 (Sputnik) – Moscow believes that direct dialogue between Kiev and Ukraine's two self-proclaimed independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk could lead to a settlement to the country's political crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

"Attempts to change negotiations into another type of format in which Donetsk and Luhansk are not participants are unacceptable. Only direct dialogue from the Ukrainian sides can bring a result," Lavrov said during the plenary session of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in the Swiss city of Basel.

The minister emphasized that Russia supported the Minsk format and called for the revival of talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE.

On September 5, Kiev and independence supporters of the Ukrainian east through the mediation of Russia and the OSCE agreed on a ceasefire in a bid to de-escalate tensions at negotiations held in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

On September 19, during another round of Minsk talks a memorandum specifying steps for the truce implementation was adopted. Despite the agreement, the two sides have been regularly accusing each other of violating the ceasefire regime.