MOSCOW, July 03. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for holding a meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine as soon as possible.

The meeting is due to take place in a safe place on Ukraine’s territory, Lavrov told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.

The previous documents on Ukraine de-escalation - the Agreement of February 21 and the Geneva statement of April 17 “have not been implemented”, he said.

“That is why the Western partners should persuade the authorities in Kiev to comply with the Berlin declaration - to convene the Contact Group for coordinating stable and lasting ceasefire on the bilateral basis, without any unilateral measures," Lavrov said.

“Often we hear Kiev’s statements that a truce is declared to allow militia or separatists (as they call them) to lay down arms and believe in amnesty. Such approach is unacceptable. It will not lead to lasting ceasefire and long-term de-escalation. None will lay down arms unilaterally,” he said.

“The Berlin declaration implies a ceasefire agreement should be reached on a bilateral basis,” he added.

“Yesterday the Southeast representatives said they were ready for this. Now all depends on our Western partners. The Contact Group should meet on Ukraine’s territory in a safe place. It is necessary to take into account the fact that the Southeast leaders are currently in Donetsk and Luhansk. Military actions continue there because the truce ended,” Lavrov said.

“Any pause is indispensable to convene the Contact Group. I repeat this depends on Kiev’s leadership - on the Ukrainian president,” he added.