Ukraine “is as close to civil war as you can get” and a solution must be found that satisfies all regions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Russia has “no intention” of sending its troops anywhere, Lavrov said in an interview today with Bloomberg Television at the Foreign Ministry building in central Moscow. While holding Russia accountable for Ukraine’s presidential election on May 25 is “ridiculous,” the vote can’t be legitimate if it’s impeded by fighting, he said.

There’s already a “real war” between government forces and separatist fighters in the country’s east and south, Lavrov said. Any attempt to grant NATO membership to Ukraine would be “an issue for Russia” and its inclusion in the alliance would hurt European security, he said.

Source: Bloomberg.com