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Russian, French ministers call for ceasefire, political settlement in Ukraine

During a telephone conversation, they also noted the important role of the upcoming meetings of the Contact Group on Ukraine

MOSCOW, August 30 /ITAR-TASS/. Russian and French foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Laurent Fabius, on Saturday called for the soonest possible cessation of fire and beginning of political settlement in Ukraine.

During a telephone conversation, they also noted the important role of the upcoming meetings of the Contact Group on Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Contact Group will meet in Minsk on September 1, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephone conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, stressed the importance of bringing officials from Kiev, south-eastern regions of Ukraine, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Russia to Minsk for the Contact Group consultations.

Putin and Lukashenko also discussed “pressing issues” of Russian-Belarusian relations.

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