MINSK, June 16. /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow expects explanations from Kiev over the intention to close the state border with Russia. Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov stated this after a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Uladzimir Makei on Monday.

“As to statements of Kiev authorities’ representatives about the intention to completely close the border with Russia, I do not quite understand what case in hand is this and to what it is referred to,” the minister said. “If they are going to block all channels of free movement of our citizens including labor migrants, we would like to specifically understand what exactly they mean to do.”

Lavrov noted that Kiev stated about a unilateral closure of state border. “That is why it is difficult for us to comment it,” the Russian top diplomat said. “We need to find out what is meant.”

Sergei Lavrov also said there was nothing to talk about with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia.

 

Russia demands to curb radicals in Ukraine

Sergei Lavrov believes the international community should pay special attention to the task of curbing radicals and neo-Nazis in Ukraine. “In the wake of the latest events including the disgusting attack on the Russian embassy, a special attention of the international community and of those who have direct influence on the Kiev authorities is needed for curbing radicals, extremists and neo-Nazis,” Lavrov said.

“We hope that sense will prevail, and everyone who is able to influence the situation will be contributing not to the aggravation of the situation, but to its turning to the political course and immediate stopping of the military operation, as well as the introduction of a stable truce,” the Russian minister added. He also said that Moscow would take additional measures to ensure security of Russia’s embassy in Kiev.

Moscow and Minsk are interested in the soonest stopping of bloodshed in Ukraine and in launching the national dialogue, Sergei Lavrov said. He noted that the ministers “laid emphasis on the situation in Ukraine” at their meeting and stressed that “the brotherly Ukrainian people is now surviving a tragic period.”

“We are interested in stopping the bloodshed as soon as possible, beginning a national dialogue based on mutual respect with the participation and taking into account the interests of all the country’s regions, as stipulated by the Geneva statement dated April 17 and the road map by the Swiss chairmanship of the OSCE based on it,” the minister stressed.

Moscow and Minsk will be against the malpractice of unilateral sanctions, Lavrov added. “Russia and Belarus proceed from the compelling stand about the non-acceptance and counter-productiveness of the unilateral sanctions policy on the global arena,” the Russian minister emphasized.