Russia's Lavrov says diplomatic solution to Ukraine still possible, criticizes West

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that resolving the situation around Ukraine through diplomatic means is still possible, but accused Western countries of demanding new concessions from Russia. He dismissed statements by European politicians about possible contacts with Russia as unserious, and said he did not understand the outcomes of the G7 summit in Evian.

Lavrov also commented on Western security initiatives, the possibility of Russia leaving the OSCE, and the main problem in relations with the United States. He revealed that Russia will not make certain concessions in the Ukraine settlement process, and noted that France and Britain had sent representatives to talks in Moscow.