Ukraine crisis: Russia rules out new Geneva talks

by The Daily Lede

Ukraine crisis: Russia rules out new Geneva talks

Russia’s foreign minister has ruled out holding a new round of talks in Geneva in a bid to defuse the Ukraine crisis.

Sergei Lavrov said there was no point as last month’s accord between the US, EU and Russia had not been implemented.

He spoke after a Council of Europe meeting, where ministers were expected to support the Ukrainian authorities’ plans for a 25 May presidential poll.

Mr Lavrov said it would be “unusual” for it to take place when the army was being used against the population.

Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said Ukraine was ready to back a new round of talks in Geneva as long as Moscow supported presidential elections.

“If Russia is ready to commit itself to support these elections and to eliminate this threat and eliminate its support for the extremist elements in Ukraine, we are ready to have such a round of meetings,” he said at a news conference.