MOSCOW, February 10./TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio discussed security guarantees and the situation in the east of Ukraine in a phone call on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
The top diplomats "exchanged substantially their views on key international issues. Initiatives of the Russian Federation to ensure long-term legal guarantees of security in Europe based on the implementation of the generally recognized principle of indivisibility of security were in the focus," the Foreign Ministry said.
Lavrov shared with his Italian counterpart "assessments of the written responses from NATO and the United States to draft international legal agreements previously submitted to the Western partners, and called for an early settlement of the issues raised in these documents," the ministry added.
The top diplomats also discussed Ukraine. Lavrov drew the attention of his Italian counterpart to the destabilizing activity of NATO towards developing the post-Soviet space and militarization of Ukraine. The sides discussed the bilateral agenda, and confirmed intentions to continue the constructive dialogue, the ministry said.
The phone call was initiated by the Italian side, it noted.