Lavrov tells Kerry Washington must urge Kiev to halt military operation in east

Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday, urged Washington to pressure Ukraine's interim government to stop its military operation in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "Lavrov urged the United States to encourage the authorities in Kiev to... immediately cease military operations and begin direct negotiations with (representatives of) the southeastern regions," the ministry said in a statement. (Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Angus MacSwan)