Moscow Seeks To See How Kiev's Pledges Materialize Into Specific Suggestions - Lavrov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2019) It is important for Moscow to understand how the new Ukrainian leadership's pledges about new policies and approaches are materialized into specific suggestions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, speaking about prospects of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We do not even know yet what the new Ukrainian leadership's policy will be in relation to the Minsk agreements [on the Ukrainian crisis settlement] and Russia as a whole. We can hear rather dubious signals from there ... I will say it once again. It is important for us to understand how these pledges about new approaches and ideas are embodied into specific suggestions," Lavrov said in an interview with the Russian RBC broadcaster when asked about the prospects of a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy.

Relations between Russia and Ukraine deteriorated in 2014, when the conflict in Ukraine's Donbas region erupted in the wake of what many considered to be a coup that brought former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to power. The same year, Crimea rejoined Russia as a result of a referendum, which was opposed by Kiev, despite Moscow insisting that the vote was held in line with international law.

However, Zelenskyy, who was sworn in last May, has repeatedly hinted on some new policies and approaches of his administration in various areas, including relations with Moscow. Particularly, his administration has not ruled out possible telephone talks between Zelenskyy and Putin.