You're reading: Top Russian and Ukrainian diplomats discuss Ukraine crisis settlement

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin discussed measures to resolve Ukraine's crisis over the phone on June 20, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website.

“As a follow-up to the telephone conversation between President of
the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of Ukraine Petro
Poroshenko [on June 19], Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation
Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of Ukraine
Klimkin,” the ministry said.

“The ministers discussed measures to settle the situation in Ukraine,
including in the context of the April 17 Geneva statement. The Russian
side reaffirmed the importance of de-escalating the conflict, defusing
tensions, ensuring the security of all citizens of Ukraine and launching
a broad national dialogue as soon as possible,” it said.

“The Russian side also expressed hope that at this post Klimkin will
help promote constructive cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of
Russia and Ukraine,” the ministry said.

Pavlo Klimkin, who most recently held the post of Kyiv’s ambassador
to Germany, was appointed Ukraine’s foreign minister by the Verkhovna
Rada on June 19.

As many as 335 Ukrainian MPs voted in favor of Klimkin’s appointment.