There is an understanding that a sustainable settlement would not be possible without addressing the root causes of the crisis, and President Putin has pointed to these root causes many times, Lavrov stressed.
"Europe has been holding back this process, instigating the so-called Ukrainian leadership to fight until the last Ukrainian. The thing is, they're short of money. And right now, this ideological agenda is being influenced by money concerns," the Russian foreign minister said.
Lavrov also said that the "European military presence in Ukraine would trigger Russian response."
Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe, but it will “support the president's efforts in terms of ensuring our external security, as well as defending our compatriots, which includes the right to religion and the Russian language,” the Russian foreign minister stressed at plenary session of Russia’s Federation Council.