Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

During a meeting between the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers, Russia and France stressed the need to implement the Minsk agreements to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and re-launch the deal on Iran's nuclear program.

Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Florence Parly, Minister for the Armed Forces, received their Russian counterparts Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoygu, within the framework of the Franco-Russian Cooperation Council for Security Issues.

France expressed its concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine and warned Russia of the grave consequences that would have any fresh attempts to undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity, after Russia’s military buildup on Ukraine’s border.

The meeting also addressed the issue of the settlement in the Middle East, and the two sides stressed the importance of re-launching the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran's nuclear program as soon as possible.

The First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyanskiy, confirmed yesterday that Russia had never planned any military intervention on Ukrainian territory, emphasizing that Russia has the right to build up any military forces anywhere within its territory.

On its part, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry had previously said that Russia mobilized about 90,000 soldiers near the border with Ukraine in an attempt to pressure it.

In the same context, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Ukrainian Presidential Office Director Andrey Yermak and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, yesterday, stressing Ukraine's sovereignty.

"We affirm the United States' unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Sullivan said during the meeting, welcoming "Ukraine's commitment to resolving the conflict in Donbas."

In its turn, the Russian Defense Ministry accused, a few days ago, the US military of amassing forces in the Black Sea region and taking "destabilizing" steps near the Russian border.