More than 200 people have been killed in Lebanon in seven days of Israeli missile and air strikes, while more than 20 Israelis have been killed in attacks mounted by militant group Hizbollah.
"We asked the UN Security council to consider the possibility of sending a peacekeeping force to the Lebanese-Israeli border. What mandate these forces would have is still unclear," Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio station, when asked whether Russia would contribute peacekeepers to the region.
If the sides cannot reach agreement on the issue, "then we can only consider sending a coalition force to carry out essential functions," he said.
"However, I think that the agreement of all sides is the basis needed for the UN to send a contingent and guarantee relative security and calm there," Lavrov said.
The interview with the foreign minister will be broadcast Thursday.
In discussing the Mideast situation Monday at the Group of Eight summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "Russia is continually taking part in peacekeeping operations. And we will not turn away from involvement in such operations in the future."
