Lavrov accuses West of seeking 'regime change' in Russia

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a news conference after a meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Saud al-Faisal in Moscow, November 21, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West on Saturday of trying to use sanctions imposed on Moscow in the Ukraine crisis to seek "regime change" in Russia.

His comments stepped up Moscow's war of words with the United States and the European Union in their worst diplomatic standoff since the Cold War ended.