Russian Foreign Minister Urges Kiev to Start Nationwide Dialogue Immediately

SELIGER (Tver Region), August 27 (RIA Novosti) – The Kiev government must launch a nationwide dialogue in Ukraine immediately to make sure that the rights of all ethnic groups and minorities are equally respected, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

“It is important that the Ukrainian side, in accordance to its obligation taken in Geneva on April 17, invited all regions of Ukraine, naturally including southeastern Ukraine, and to start a nationwide dialogue immediately,” Lavrov said.

The foreign minister said the dialogue should help the sides “to lay down amendments to the country’s fundamental law that would ensure comfortable, safe and equal co-existence in the Ukrainian state of all nationalities, all minorities and all regions, with their economic interests taken into account.”

Lavrov has repeatedly stressed the importance of a comprehensive dialogue between the conflicting sides in Ukraine.

The foreign minister said Russia will do its utmost to end the bloodshed in Ukraine and to create conditions for negotiations between the conflicting parties in order to find a political solution “that would ensure the rights of all the citizens and regions of Ukraine.”

Top diplomats from Russia, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine met in Geneva on April 17 to devise road map, which called for an end to the violence in the region, amnesty for all those involved in the fighting and a dialogue between the state authorities and independence supporters.

However, the Geneva accords did not stop Kiev from proceeding with its military operation, which has resulted in more victims.

Since Kiev launched its special military operation against independence supporters in eastern Ukraine in April, over 2,000 people, including civilians, children and journalists on professional duty have died in the region.

Moscow has repeatedly urged for an immediate end to the ongoing military action, stressing the importance of a peaceful dialogue and expressing its readiness to participate in consultations.