OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ranko Krivokapic met with Valentina Matviyenko, Chair of Russia's Federation Council, and Sergey Naryshkin, Chair of the Russian State Duma, on Monday, March 31 in Moscow for talks that focused on the need to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine and the OSCE PA’s plans to monitor Ukraine’s upcoming presidential election.

“A solution to the crisis in Ukraine will only be possible when Russia plays a constructive role. Dialogue is in the interest of all parties involved and is essential to reducing tensions. In my discussions in Moscow, I suggested a meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations to the OSCE PA in the coming weeks,” Krivokapic said, according to a press release.

President Krivokapic also informed Chairpersons Matviyenko and Naryshkin of the OSCE’s plans to monitor the May 25 presidential vote in Ukraine and asked for Russia’s cooperation with election-monitoring efforts in Crimea.

“I sincerely hope that Moscow will facilitate access to Crimea for OSCE observers during the period leading up to the Ukrainian election and on election day. Our parliamentarians will be leading one of the largest observation missions in OSCE history in Ukraine this May, and our goal is do our job as thoroughly as possible, across the entirety of Ukrainian territory,” Krivokapic said after his meetings.

“I have also asked that Russia help facilitate voting for Ukrainian citizens residing on the Crimean Peninsula. I was encouraged to hear that options are being considered,” he added.

Possibilities for Ukrainian citizens in Crimea to participate in the election were also discussed during the OSCE PA’s first pre-election visit to Ukraine, completed March 28.

During his visit to Moscow, Krivokapic also met with Russia’s Delegation to the OSCE PA and was joined by Nikolay Kovalev, the Head of the Delegation, in his meeting with Chairman Naryshkin.

Krivokapic is currently in Kyiv, where he is scheduled to meet with Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov and members of Ukraine’s Delegation to the OSCE PA. He is accompanied by OSCE PA Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas (MP, Sweden).