(VOVworld) – US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov failed to reach any agreement on the Ukraine crisis in their meeting in Paris on Sunday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before their meeting in Paris March 30, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

Although both sides spoke about their plans to relieve tensions, disagreement remained on the cause of the crisis. Russia insisted that a federal model would be the key to the constitutional reforms as laid out by the Kiev government. Meanwhile, the US asked Russia to withdraw its troops from the Crimea, adding that any negotiations on Ukraine’s future must directly involve its caretaker government.

Both leaders acknowledged the significance of diplomatic resolutions over Ukraine-related issues. They agreed to work with the Ukrainian government to improve the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians and deal with the irregular forces and agitators.