GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States should stop encouraging provocative moves by Ukraine and instead mediate between Kiev and rebel-held Ukrainian regions, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday.

Lavrov said Ukrainian warships had ignored maritime law on Sunday when they tried to enter the Kerch Strait, aiming to create a scandal for domestic political purposes and U.S. encouragement for such acts “saddens me greatly”.