Russian foreign minister meets his Ukrainian counterpart, dismisses Western threats

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says he has met for the first time with his Ukrainian counterpart to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

Lavrov spoke Monday after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia in the Hague, where both attended an international security summit. The meeting was the first such encounter between the two ministers since last month's ouster of the pro-Russian Ukrainian president and Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Lavrov also said that Moscow is unfazed by the West's intention to snub the Group of Eight summit that Russia was set to host in Sochi.

Lavrov said the G-8 format has been useful to discuss global crises, such as the Iran nuclear standoff or the Syrian civil war, but that Russia "will not be clinging to this format."