Updated

Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart agree they don't want Ukraine to be a "pawn" in a power struggle between East and West.

Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Thursday in Paris.

Kerry and Lavrov say Moscow and Washington agree that Ukraine should be a peaceful, stable and prosperous bridge between Russia and Europe. But they acknowledge difficulties in bringing the crisis to an end in the former Soviet republic.

Kerry says he hopes the U.S. and Russia can overcome differences to back the new Ukrainian president's stated desire to reach out to all of Ukraine's people.