Noting there is a complex and special historical context of the Ukraine issue, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday told his Russian counterpart that the Chinese side understands Russia's legitimate security concerns.

Wang made the remarks during a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Wang also reiterated that China has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

He urged all parties to completely abandon Cold War mindset and strive for a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through dialogue and negotiation.

Read more: China calls on all parties to exercise restraint over Ukraine crisis

Lavrov explained the evolution of the situation in Ukraine and Russia's position. He said the U.S. and NATO reneged on their commitments, kept expanding eastward, refused to implement the new Minsk agreement and violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 2202 (2015).

He stressed that the Russian side was forced to take necessary measures to safeguard its rights and interests.