Russia will seek efforts to mediate the situation in Ukraine, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Hanoi on Wednesday.

Lavrov made the remarks at a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh in capital Hanoi on Wednesday during his working visit to Vietnam.

Asked to assess the prospects for the upcoming talks in Geneva and the situation in east Ukraine, the Russian foreign minister said that he hoped efforts will take effect and there will be no use of force against protesters.

"In the past few days, Russian President Putin has made concrete conversations with leaders of other countries over phone, including the US president and chancellor of Germany. During the conversations, the president had expressed and explained clearly that it is unacceptable when the government in Kiev came to power in unconstitutional way and used force against demonstrators in eastern Ukraine," Lavrov told reporters.

He affirmed at the press conference that "we will seek efforts to mediate the situation and will persuade the government in Kiev to listen to opinions and desires of Ukrainians living in the eastern and southern part of the country."

The use of army or other armed forces may possibly make violence escalate, Lavrov stressed.

"Ukrainians must solve the situation as the root of the crisis is the crisis of Ukraine. If they fail to solve their difficulties, the situation will not be settled," the Russian official noted.

Russia will persuade leaders of Ukraine to start in words and actions, initiating a judicial reform process, in order to solve the root of the crisis, said Lavrov.

"This is also the main goal and theme of the upcoming Geneva talks or main goal of international community to urge Ukraine to start judicial reforms following practice," said the Russian foreign minister.

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