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Lavrov, Kerry discuss Syria, Ukraine over phone

Xinhua, August 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria and Ukraine over phone, Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The two sides discussed prospects for coordination of actions of Russia and the United States in Syria and the need for disengagement of Washington-oriented opposition groups from terrorists, which are not covered by the cease-fire, it said.

Lavrov asked the United States to urge Kiev to prevent from provocation and to start dialogue with the insurgent region of Donbas in accordance with the Minsk agreements, a ministry statement said.

In February 2015, the two conflicting sides in eastern Ukraine reached a cease-fire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Germany and France in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. But the two sides continued to blame each other for cease-fire violations.

Earlier Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Lavrov will meet with Kerry to discuss the Syrian conflict in Geneva on Saturday, following reports that progress had been made at negotiations between Russian and U.S. experts in Geneva over the Syria crisis. Endi