"We have an interest in joining efforts to find a solution to the Ukraine crisis," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the Swedish capital Stockholm on Thursday at the start of a meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

"Our US colleagues have said more than once that they want to help," he added.

Previously Russia had always stressed that the previous format was sufficient.

As part of so-called Normandy format, only France and Germany have mediated in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

However, Russia does not see itself as a party to the conflict.

Russia has no interest in conflicts, Lavrov stressed on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Australian Associated Press