Lavrov Tells Kerry Russia's Crimea Move Will Not Be Revisited

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that Moscow will not revisit its decision to incorporate Ukraine's peninsula of Crimea into Russia.

"S. Lavrov stressed that the decision to reunite Crimea and Russia which reflects an expression of will of an absolute majority of its residents is not subject to revision and should be respected," the foreign ministry said.

Russia's lower house of parliament on Thursday ratified a treaty incorporating Crimea into Russian territory and adopted supporting legislation, and the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, was expected to rubber-stamp the legislation on Friday. Under the Soviet Union, Crimea was part of the Soviet republic of Russia before 1954.