MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday Russia and Belarus confirmed their readiness to contribute in a constructive way to the settlement of the crisis situation in Ukraine in line with Minsk peace agreements.

This statement was made after a meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei in Minsk.

The parties held “earnest and constructive talks on most important foreign policy issues, particularly, the situation in Ukraine,” the ministry said. “The Russian and Belarusian sides confirmed their readiness to further contribute in a constructive way to the settlement of the crisis situation in the neighbour state in line with Minsk agreements reached on September 5, 2014.”

The current state of relations of Russia and Belarus with the West, primarily the European Union, was also under discussion, the ministry said.

“It has been noted that confrontation is not a choice of Moscow or Minsk, and our countries are ready for an equal and mutually beneficial dialogue provided that their legitimate interests are observed,” it said.