"I have a feeling that the foreign mass media are whipping up passions around the situation in Ukraine and then try to convince themselves that certain facts stand behind these inventions. Let the Ukrainians decide the matter by themselves and dont try to interpret others position in your own way", the Russian foreign minister said in Zagreb after a meeting with his Croatian analogue Miomir Jujul.

Sergei Lavrov noted that the Russian government has clearly de

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clared that the situation in Ukraine should be settled by the Ukrainians on the basis of their constitution and laws "without instigation, intimidation and interference from without, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine".

Russia was ready to express this position in the joint statement of the OSCE Foreign Ministerial Council in Sofia, Sergei Lavrov said.

"Unfortunately, this has not been possible because certain countries would like it to reflect their subjective assessment of the situation obtaining. However, the Russian position is fully mirrored in yesterdays joint statement of the foreign ministers on results of the sitting of the Russia-NATO Council", Sergei Lavrov said.

ZAGREB, December 10 (RIA Novostis Sergei Ryabikin)