In an interview with Izvestia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that the United States uniquely acknowledges the necessity of addressing the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis. He attributed this crisis to Russia's security concerns stemming from Ukraine's involvement with NATO. Lavrov emphasized that the US is the only nation recognizing the need to resolve these underlying security issues. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of acknowledging the new realities established following the referendums in southeastern Ukraine, suggesting that these factors must be considered in any discussions regarding the conflict.