MOSCOW, March 8. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks by phone with Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Tuesday, focusing on humanitarian issues related to the Ukraine conflict.

"In connection with Pietro Parolin’s concern about the situation in Ukraine, Sergey Lavrov outlined him Russia’s principled position concerning the reasons and goals of the special military operation being conducted in Ukraine," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Particular attention was focused on humanitarian issues related to the conflict, including the measures of protection of the civilian population, organization and functioning of humanitarian corridors and assistance to refugees," the statement says.

"The sides expressed hope that a next round of talks between Moscow and Kiev will be held as soon as possible and that an agreement will be reached to address the key problems lying at the root of the Ukraine crisis in order to resolve it and stop hostilities," the ministry noted.

On February 24, Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aims to demilitarize and denazify the country.