MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called Kiev's official rejection of direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk a challenge.

"We stressed that there are no alternatives to the implementation of the Minsk accords in their entirety and all their consistency. And, of course, we emphasized Kiev’s continuing official statements that they will not engage in direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk. This is a direct challenge and a direct refusal to implement the Minsk accords," the minister said on Friday at a press conference following talks with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias.

The sides also discussed other regional conflicts. "We also talked about the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus settlement, the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, and the situation in Transcaucasia and in the Western Balkans," Lavrov added. "We appreciate such opportunities to compare our assessments and ideas about how we could usefully move forward on several conflict situations."

The ministers also touched on the situation on the European continent, "including in the context of the problems that are now being discussed as part of the Russian security guarantees initiative."