Russia refutes German interpretation of upcoming meeting over Ukraine

Russia on Wednesday refuted a statement of the German Foreign Ministry about the "Normandy format" meeting to be held later in the day in Berlin.

"The statement of the German Foreign Ministry that the meeting is to be held at the will of Russia and Ukraine, does not correspond with reality," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Russian side, the meeting has been planned as continuation of earlier talks and teleconferences between the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France.

"The (German) interpretation has been another attempt to present the Ukrainian crisis as a conflict between Russia and Ukraine and to evade responsibility of encouraging peaceful solutions of the conflict," the statement said, adding that solutions can only be achieved through dialogues between Kiev and Ukraine's southeastern regions.

The new round of talks must make Kiev start inclusive national dialogue for the restoration of peace and stability in Ukraine, it noted, adding immediate stop of fighting and launch of constitutional reform are preconditions for success.

On Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had called the meeting, set for Wednesday, upon the request of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

Steinmeier said the meeting is aimed at stopping "military confrontations from intensifying and avoid further political escalation between Kiev and Moscow." Endi