He noted that at the talks in Luxembourg, the parties “agreed to move in small steps towards overcoming the challenges” in bilateral relations, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
“Today I gave Pavel (Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin. - RT) a draft agreement, because I believe that the two countries should sign a new agreement on the mutual protection of national minorities,” he said.
Siyarto expressed the hope that countries will be able to start discussing the project in early December:
“I hope we can begin negotiations on the project next time in early December in Milan, where the OSCE ministerial meeting will be held,” he added.
The Minister stressed that it is necessary to restore confidence in the issue of relations between states.
“After today's meeting, I can say that we have become closer to this,” he pointed out.
Earlier in the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on reports that Kiev declared the consul of Hungary to be persona non grata, called the situation with national minorities in Ukraine unprecedented.
In early March, Siyarto blamed Ukraine for a “brutal attack” on ethnic minorities.