MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. The Kiev regime and its Western puppeteers do everything they can in order to prolong hostilities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview for air.ru, published on the Foreign Ministry website Tuesday.
Commenting on peace plan for Ukraine, proposed by China, Lavrov noted that it is consonant for key Russian approaches.
"Especially regarding the need to ensure equal and indivisible security for all countries in Europe and in the world in general," the Minister noted. "So far, the peace process has been hindered by Kiev and its Western puppeteers who exert all efforts in order to prolong the hostilities."
Lavrov noted that Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping stated "the importance for further close coordination on foreign policy."
"We see the causes of main challenges in the international security area in a similar way. We note the West’s unwillingness to engage in an inter-state dialogue based on principles of equality. We oppose the use of sanctions pressure methods and other instruments of unscrupulous competition," the Foreign Minister continued. "Meanwhile, our strategic cooperation is not aimed against third countries. It contributes to balanced development of the entire international system."
The Minister underscored that the Chinese side reaffirmed its "weighted position on the Ukrainian issue."
"We welcome Beijing’s readiness to play a constructive role in political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict," he concluded.