Moscow, Nov 23 (IANS): Western countries' actions during the Ukraine crisis were contrary to democratic principles, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov .

"Our Western partners played an 'all-or-nothing' game in Ukraine as they trampled on their own democratic principles and supported the extremists. They wanted to 'bluff us' and make us swallow the humiliation of Russians and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine," Lavrov said Saturday at an assembly of the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, Xinhua reported.

The nature of the West's sanctions made clear that it wanted more than a simple change in Russia's policy, he said. "They want to press for a change of the regime."

Ukraine and the West have been accusing Moscow of backing the rebels in eastern Ukraine, an allegation Russia denies.

Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis, which Moscow strongly opposes, and the Kremlin took some retaliatory sanctions on Western nations as well.

"It is necessary to have leading countries sit by the table and agree on how basic, legal interests of all major players may be reflected in new principles, like how to manage risks especially in the context of democratic international relations," he said.