DUSHANBE, July 31. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia hopes for China’s support to an initiative to set up a humanitarian mission for southeast Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers from the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation states in the Tajik capital on Thursday.

Lavrov thanked Chinese people for the aid they offered to refugees from Donetsk and Luhansk regions currently staying in Russia. This friendly gesture will allow drawing attention of the international community to the tragedy breaking out in Ukraine, the minister said.

Russia hopes for China’s support to an initiative to set up a humanitarian mission for southeast Ukraine - Lavrov said at a meeting with the Chinese counterpart.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to meet at summits of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation in Beijing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the SCO states in the Tajik capital on Thursday.

“Chinese and Russian presidents will have new contacts,” Lavrov said, adding that these meetings are expected at a SCO summit in Dushanbe and an APEC summit in Beijing in September.

 Russia and China will multiply their efforts in the struggle against terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added.

The Russian foreign minister expressed his condolences to the Chinese people over a recent terrorist act in China.

“This strengthens our common resolve for multiplying our efforts in the struggle against this evil,” Lavrov said.