GENEVA, April 17 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with US Secretary of State John Kerry ahead of four-party talks on the Ukrainian crisis in Geneva on Thursday.
They shook hands amid a swarm of photographers before moving behind closed doors for negotiations.
Thursday’s talks in Geneva are being attended by delegates from Russia, the European Union, the United States and Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier said the agenda will focus on the de-escalation of tensions, disarmament of illegal armed groups and constitutional reforms in the crisis-torn country.
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turychynov announced Tuesday the start of a military operation against pro-federalization protesters. Russia strongly condemned the move, calling it an extremely dangerous development.