Russia says in broad agreement with China on Ukraine

China and Russia are in broad agreement on the situation in Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday (03/03/2014) after telephone talks between the countries' top diplomats.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in a phone call noted "broadly coinciding points of view of Russia and China over the situation that has developed in the country and around it," the ministry said in a statement.

The top diplomats "agreed to continue close contacts on this topic," the statement said.

Russia appeared keen to stress that it has a major international ally on its military intervention in Ukraine after the other members of the G8 on Sunday released a statement condemning Russia for violating international law and suspending their participation in a G8 summit set to be held in Sochi in June.

China is not a member of the G8.

Russia has found itself internationally isolated over its covert military intervention in Ukraine and on Monday its stocks and currency collapsed amid fears of a prolonged campaign.

China and Russia cooperated on vetoing three UN Security Council resolutions to put pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, although they voted through a resolution this month on allowing in - Sapa-AFP