On August 8, 2008, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine at the instance of the Russian party, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine ad interim Mr. Volodymyr Khandogiy met with Charge d’Affaires of the Russian Federation to Ukraine Mr. Vsevolod Loskutov.

In the course of the meeting, views were exchanged on further conflict exacerbation in South Ossetia (Georgia).

The Russian party informed of the recent statements of the leadership of the state and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the situation in the region.

For his part, Mr. V.Khandogiy informed the interlocutor of the position of Ukraine expressed in the Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on exacerbation of the situation in South Ossetia (Georgia) and in particular showed deep anxiety with military operation escalation and emphasized the need for taking exhaustive measures by all the parties present in the conflict area for immediate cease-fire and settlement of the situation at negotiation table.

The Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine ad interim attracted attention of the interlocutor to the mass media communications on probable use of force by the Russian armed forces. In connection with this, he noted that the Ukrainian party relies on restraint of Russia and hopes that the Russian Federation would not be a party to the conflict.