Ukraine should make a new constitution that redefines presidential powers before going to polls on May 25, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
At a Council of Europe meeting in Vienna, Lavrov said holding elections before making a national dialogue-based constitutional reform would escalate violence in Ukraine.
He said no election should be held amid clashes in the country's Russian-speaking regions.
For his part, Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said, "We want international observers to be sent so that the elections will be held in a democratic and free atmosphere."
"Ukraine's priority is the presidential elections and eliminating Russia's threats," he said.
In another development, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, "Crisis in Ukraine is not limited to this country only and it has serious consequences for the security of all of the European-Atlantic region."
"We are facing the gravest crisis as regards to security and stability in Europe today since the end of the Cold War," he said.
Speaking at a joint press conference after his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Brussels on Tuesday, Rasmussen said, "The security and stability of European-Atlantic region is definitely not different from the Asia-Pacific region and a consensus and dialogue with partners like Japan during the crisis is very important to deal with the security issues."
He reaffirmed that NATO would not hesitate to take further steps when necessary.
Separately, 8 people were killed and 16 wounded in a clash between Ukrainian security forces and pro-Russian separatists near Slavyansk, Donetsk health authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The statement said the wounded were in critical condition.
Ukraine's security forces stepped up operations in the country's east to recapture government buildings and police stations in the hands of armed pro-Russian groups.
Kiev has accused Russia for the occupation of buildings while Russia denies responsibility.
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