Contacts between Russian regions and Ukraine broken, Lavrov says

The Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, stated that the Ukrainian crisis led to broken cooperation between Russia and Ukrainian partners.

According to Lavrov, two weeks ago the first forum of Russian and Belarusian regions successfully took place in Minsk. Unfortunately, contacts with Ukrainian partners are broken due to the Ukrainian crisis. But the minister is sure that the ties and opportunities for a dialogue should be preserved.

Lavrov notes that it is important to involve new Russian constituents, Crimea and Sevastopol, into processes of interregional cooperation.