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Russia Enlists Chinese Support on Ukraine Position

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaking Monday at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Denis Balibouse / Reuters

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Ukraine with his Chinese counterpart on Monday and their views coincided on the situation there, the ministry said.

In a statement, Russia's foreign ministry said the two veto-wielding U.N. Security Council members would stay in close contact on the issue.

The situation in Ukraine was also discussed Monday at consultations in Moscow between Chinese deputy Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping and his Russian counterpart, Grigory Karasin.

"The Chinese side expressed understanding of Russia's analysis of reasons behind the deep political crisis in Ukraine and the role of external forces that acted to support Euromaidan," Russia foreign ministry said, referring to the informal name of the uprising that culminated with the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.

More than 90 people were killed — including dozens of protesters and more than a dozen policemen — during months of largely peaceful demonstrations that sporadically tipped over into violence.

Moscow has routinely blamed the United States and the European Union of lending the protest movement their support, while some lawmakers have claimed Western governments offered funding and training to demonstrators.

The Foreign Ministry said China blames Ukraine's opposition for failing to comply with an EU-brokered agreement with Yanukovych on February 21 to end the months-long political standoff that had gripped the country.

That deal envisioned elections by the end of the year and reforms to the constitution. A Russian representative who oversaw the agreement refrained from signing it.

Opposition forces occupied parliament on February 22, as Yanukovych fled the capital for destination unknown, until finally surfacing in southern Russia around a week later.

Yanukovych has described his ouster as a coup and insists he remains the country's legitimate head of state.

Material from Reuters is included in this report.? 

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