DHAKA: Russia has absolutely no intention of ordering its armed forces to cross over the Ukrainian border and the divisions between Moscow and the West on the crisis are narrowing.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday, reports The Straits Times.

‘We have absolutely no intention and no interests in crossing the Ukrainian border,’ Lavrov told Russian state television in an interview, appearing to firmly rule out an invasion of mainland Ukraine after Moscow’s seizure of Crimea.

‘We (Russia and the West) are getting closer in our positions,’ he added, saying recent contacts had shown the outlines of a ‘possible joint initiative which could be presented to our Ukrainian colleagues’.

Lavrov said Moscow’s priority was to see Ukraine implement reform that would create a federalised structure for the country with every region having a degree of autonomy.

BDST: 1750 HRS, MAR 29, 2014