Sergei Lavrov, born in 1950, is a Russian diplomat who became his country's Foreign Minister in 2004.

Sergei Lavrov

Lavrov was Russia's ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004, and he first visited China in July 2008.

He said in an interview on April 11 that Russia has no intention of incorporating the southeastern regions of Ukraine, saying such plans contradict Russia's national interests.

Lavrov also said Russia is not discussing the need to bring peacekeepers to Ukraine and does not aim to ask the UN Security Council to make some decisions, adding that Moscow urges the current Ukrainian administration to have dialogue with its people.