If Kiev Uses Force, Russian Cooperation Over Ukraine Will Be Undermined, Says Lavrov

“If the authorities in Kiev will use force, our entire cooperation on the Ukrainian issue will be undermined,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting of the World Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots. “We are now discussing the possibility of holding a meeting of Russia, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine,” Lavrov said.

“We shall be prepared to discuss ways of promoting a solution of the Ukrainian issue. But if the authorities in Kiev dare use force, our entire cooperation on the Ukrainian issue, on Ukrainian settlement will be undermined. We have let this known to our Western partners,” he said, TASS reports.

Ukraine needs deep constitutional reform taking into account interests of all – Lavrov

Russia supports a deep constitutional reform in Ukraine, in which all political forces and all regions will participate equally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, as reported by Interfax. “Here is what is in line with Russian interests – an integral, united, brotherly Ukraine friendly to us, in which citizens live calmly,” Lavrov stressed at a news conference following talks with his Sudanese counterpart Ali Karti.

“This can be achieved solely by carrying out a deep constitutional reform, in which all political forces without an exception and all Ukrainian regions should participate on an equal basis,” he added.

As to the referendum on the status of the country, which could be held in Ukraine simultaneously with presidential elections on May 25, issues, which will be put up for the nationwide discussion, are of great importance, Lavrov said.

The Russian minister said he was not aware of what the committee, created in Verkhovna Rada and drafting a new constitution, was doing. “For instance, I have no idea what is concerned there and, judging by the demands, our colleagues in (southeastern Ukraine) are not aware of what this group is doing as well,” he said. If it concerned making some text within the Verkhovna Rada without the participation of regions and then submitted it for the referendum, “this is not in line with the criteria discussed in the southeast,” Lavrov said.

“We support the stance of the southeast. And these criteria are what they are suggested for the direct composition of the constitution text,” the Russian minister said. Russia thinks that the current Ukrainian authorities do not think about a start of a truly constitutional process, in which all political forces and all regions will participate, Lavrov said. “It is necessary to convince them that such an approach has no alternative and namely that is why we see a fair character of the protests, which currently occur in southeastern regions,” he said.

US fails to provide reasonable explanations about CIA director’s visit to Ukraine – Lavrov

The United States has failed to come up with reasonable explanations about the late Saturday emergency visit of CIA Director John O. Brennan to Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday. “We would like to understand what reports about the CIA Director Mr. Brennan’s urgent trip to Kiev could mean. We have not received any reasonable explanation so far,” Lavrov told reporters.

Earlier, a source close the Ukrainian Interior Ministry told the RIA Novosti news agency that Brennan had arrived in Kiev on Saturday night and met with Interior Ministry and Security Service officials hours before the authorities announced the beginning of a special operation against federalization supporters in eastern Ukraine.

Russia initiates OSCE special session on Ukraine situation on Monday

Switzerland currently presiding in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) stated on Monday morning that the organization would hold an extraordinary meeting of its Permanent Council to debate the current situation in Ukrainian eastern regions.

“A meeting is scheduled at 4pm local time (2pm GMT) on Monday,” an official from the Swiss delegation told ITAR-TASS.

“Russia has initiated the meeting,” Russian Permanent Representative in OSCE Andrei Kelin told ITAR-TASS. “We addressed Switzerland which presides in the organization with the demand to convene a meeting over the current situation in eastern regions of the country and Kiev authorities’ decision to use army for suppression of protest actions taken by supporters of federalization,” Kelin noted.

Western hypocrisy over Ukraine blown out of proportion – Lavrov

The minister of foreign affairs also pointed to the fact that there was no response from the West yet to Kiev’s intention to use army against protesters in South-Eastern Ukraine.

Western hypocrisy over Ukraine is blown out of proportion, Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said in a statement on Monday, as reposted byItar-Tass agency.

The minister stressed that those who encourage Kiev’s actions in applying force against protesters must be held responsible. “The decision to apply military force is an extremely dangerous development. Those, who encourage such actions in Kiev should be held responsible to the full extent,” Sergei Lavrov said.

Russia says east Ukraine must have say in preparing referendum

Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Ukraine’s Russian-speaking eastern regions should be involved in drafting the constitution that should be put to a referendum, mooted by Kiev, on the type of state Ukraine should be, Reuters reports.

Speaking at a news conference after meeting his Sudanese counterpart, Lavrov said it was not in Russia’s interests for Ukraine to break up, but that Moscow wanted all citizens of the country to be given equal treatment by Kiev.

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