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Russia, Hungary see no alternative to Minsk accords on Ukraine — Lavrov

Lavrov says Russia and Hungary agree political settlement in Ukraine possible only with the implementation of the Minsk accords, envisaging direct dialogue between Kiev and Donbass
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
© Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP

BUDAPEST, May 25. /TASS/. Russia and Hungary agree that there is no alternative to political settlement in Ukraine on the basis of the Minsk Agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday after talks with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.

"Both Russia and Hungary proceed from the fact that there is no alternative to political settlement on the basis of the Minsk Agreements from 12 February 2015 which, as you know, envisage establishing direct dialogue between Kiev and Donbass," Lavrov said.

"However, work is carried out in this sphere. We hope that the telephone conversation between the leaders of the ‘Normandy Quartet’ (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine) that took place the day before yesterday will help to move forward on all remaining uncoordinated issues," the Russian foreign minister noted.

The Minsk accords were signed on 12 February 2015, after negotiations in the Normandy format in Minsk. The package of measures envisages ceasefire, weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local election in Donbass, constitutional reform in Ukraine and establishing working sub-groups on security, political, economy and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords.