Lavrov to Discuss Ukraine in China Visit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week and will discuss with him the situation in Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry said Sunday.

Lavrov will visit China on Tuesday, ahead of four-way talks between diplomats from the European Union, United States, Ukraine and Russia planned in Geneva on Thursday. Those talks are now in doubt amid violent clashes between supporters of Kiev and pro-Russian protesters in eastern Ukraine.

In meetings with the Chinese leader and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Lavrov plans to "devote special attention to the situation in Ukraine," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

"As is known, China in its approach sticks to a balanced and objective position, demonstrating understanding of the entire totality of factors, including historical ones, leading to new realities in this region," Moscow said.

China on March 27 abstained from voting as the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Ukraine-backed resolution condemning Crimea's referendum on joining Russia and refusing to recognize Russia's annexation of the peninsula.