Russia criticises NATO's statement on Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday criticized NATO's latest statement on Ukraine and urged outsiders not to interfere. "I don't understand why NATO adopts such statement. It helps to create a distorted picture and sends wrong signals, which may cause the wrong understanding of the situation," Lavrov told reporters after talks with his NATO counterparts in Brussels. NATO foreign ministers issued a statement on Tuesday, condemning "the use of excessive force" against peaceful demonstrators in Ukraine and calling for the government and opposition to open a dialogue. "It is a domestic issue. I hope that Ukrainian politicians will be able to bring the situation into a peaceful vein. We encourage everybody not to interfere," Lavrov said through an interpreter.