Russia, OSCE call for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Thursday said the top priority in the Ukraine crisis was an immediate ceasefire, and not the format of talks with Russia.

The first and foremost task was to stop the violence and begin dialogue with all regions in Ukraine involved, Xinhua quoted Lavrov as saying.

"Russia and Ukraine were maintaining political contacts "at different levels and in different formats" to push for an immediate end to violence and start a true rather than a pretend dialogue," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who paid a visit to a refugee camp in the Rostov region of south-western Russia Thursday, called on all sides to stop street fights and sit down for negotiations.

The OSCE was involved in the negotiating process with all sides in the ongoing conflict, Zannier said.

The ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian government and insurgents has raised international concern.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Sunday said the negotiations had started in Kiev between Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE.