ROME, August 27. /TASS/: Russia and Italy support the full implementation of the Minsk Accords on settling the conflict in Ukraine and the positions of both parties are identical on this issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with his Italian counterpart Luigi di Maio on Friday.
"We talked about the situation in Ukraine," he said. "We have the same position on the necessity of the full implementation of the Minsk Package of Measures, yet we demonstrated specific examples that the latest Ukrainian legislative ‘refinements’ essentially prohibit Ukrainian leaders and other negotiators from implementing the requirements of the Minsk Agreements," he pointed out.
"The situation is complex. I really hope that all our European colleagues who are sincerely interested in normalizing the situation in Ukraine will use their influence on the Kiev regime’s leadership," the Russian top diplomat stated.
Touching on the recent Kiev-sponsored Crimea Platform event that Italy’s representatives had also attended, Lavrov said that he had informed his Italian partners of Russia’s evaluations of "this endeavor which is senseless and only escalates unnecessary tension where it is necessary to recognize the existing reality."
"The reality is that the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are part of the Russian Federation according to the free expression of the will of the people living there," the foreign minister emphasized.
