Russia's Lavrov says his country "doesn't do regime change"

Russia's Lavrov says his country "doesn't do regime change"

VIENNA -- "We don't do regime change, we don't do color revolutions, let alone brown-hued ones like those in Ukraine," Russian FM Sergei Lavrov said in Vienna.

Speaking at a press conference on the second day of a meeting of ministers of the Council of Europe, where the main topic was the crisis in Ukraine, Lavrov said that the dialogue on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis was unlikely to come to anything unless it included representatives of the opposition.

"Getting together again in the same format, with the opposition to the current Ukrainian regime being absent at the table of negotiations, is unlikely to add anything. It is possible of course, but we shall be going in circles and saying again that everything we have agreed upon must be complied with," Lavrov told reporters.

The Russian foreign minister added that the final success of the dialogue would not be achieved unless Ukraine withdrew its troops from eastern parts of the country, where a military offensive against pro-Russian rebels is ongoing. "Russia is convinced that there is a way to end the crisis, but it is only in a peaceful dialogue... Kiev must withdraw all its troops if it wants a peaceful solution," said Lavrov.

He added that it was clear to everyone that no one except the Ukrainians can solve this problem.

Ukraine will back new talks in Geneva if Russia supports presidential elections on May 25, Ukrainian Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said on Tuesday.

“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...