Sergey Lavrov spoke with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a phone call initiated by the German side.

The ministers continued their ongoing discussion of the situation in Ukraine, with an emphasis on the urgent need to prevent a looming humanitarian disaster in the county's southeastern regions. Sergey Lavrov underscored the need to quickly resolve all issues related to the passage of the Russian humanitarian aid convoy – coordinated with Ukrainian authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross – through Ukrainian territory. They agreed that every effort must be made to ensure the safe and speedy delivery of the consignment to the affected regions and to prioritise the security of the humanitarian mission, including through a ceasefire lasting for the duration of the mission. They discussed the practical measures that should be taken to ensure a durable ceasefire in southeastern Ukraine, a long-term solution to the humanitarian problems, and the start of an inclusive dialogue to achieve a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on the basis of the Geneva Statement of 17 April 2014 and the Berlin Declaration of 2 July 2014.

15 August 2014