Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Saturday urged the United States not to escalate tensions in eastern Ukraine.

"We can only urge Washington to take a more responsible approach to this serious issue, not to escalate tensions, and, as a priority, to ensure a more responsible attitude to issues related to certain information exchanges between our capitals," Ryabkov told Sputnik.

Ryabkov added that Russia has not and will not reach out to the U.S. on the level of foreign or defense ministers on the issue of Ukraine. "The contacts that took place about 7-10 days ago were carried out at other levels and through different channels." 

On Friday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the United States remained in contact with Russia and Ukraine as well as with its European allies on the current situation in eastern Ukraine.

Tensions have built up between the Donbass insurgents and Ukrainian government forces this year and Russian President Vladimir Putin's deputy chief of staff said Russia will be forced to protect the residents of Donbass if Ukraine launches full-scale hostilities against the region.

(Cover: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, February 7, 2019. /Reuters)