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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives at the White House ahead of Oval Office talks with President Donald Trump, a rare honor bestowed on a non-head of government. Newslook

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Trump, right, talks to Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin as Vice President Pence listens at the Oval Office in the White House, May 10, 2017. Trump said the U.S. supports Ukraine, Klimkin told USA TODAY.(Photo: Embassy of Ukraine)

WASHINGTON Ukraine's foreign minister said he receivedassurances from President Trump and Vice President Pence of support from the United States, as Russia expands its influence in separatist-held eastern Ukraine.

In an interview with USA TODAY, Pavlo Klimkin said, "Without U.S. engagement, it's not possible to sort this out, because Russia has respect for the United States."

Klimkins visit to the White House Wednesday was overshadowed by Trumps meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Trump expressed his desire to work with Ukraine to peacefully resolve the conflict, theWhite House said in a statement.Pence emphasized that the negotiated cease-fire agreements remain the most viable path towardpeace."

"It was very important to hear," Klimkin said.Russia'sactions in eastern Ukraine are makingpeace harder to achieve, headded.

For example, Russian rubles must now be used as currency in the Donbas region, instead of Ukrainian hryvnas,for all transactions, including payingemployees ofUkrainian companies. That mandate, in place since March 1, required transferringlarge amounts of currency from Russia, which Klimkin said could not have happened without Russian approval and involvement.

In addition,Russian President Vladimir Putinissued a decree Feb. 18 recognizingpassports and other documents issued by the self-described Peoples Republic of Donetsk and Peoples Republic of Luhansk.

On March 17, separatist authoritiesseized private and Ukrainian state-owned factories and mines, he said. One result is that owners in Ukraine have no legal way to communicate with Ukrainian companies in the Donbas, Klimkin said. Commodities, such as coal and iron ore produced in the separatist-held areas, are being illegally transferred and sold in Russia, he said.

And, Klimkin said, Russian state-owned mediaand the separatist-held region also started talking about the nation of Donbas, which never existed.

Its not a random sequence of actions, hesaid. Its an intentional sequence to bring the occupied Donbas far, far away from Ukraine.

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The fighting in eastern Ukraine, which started after demonstrators ousted a pro-Russian government in February 2014, has escalated in recent months, despite cease-fire agreements negotiated with Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany in Minsk, Belarus. While Russia denies arming the separatists, Ukrainian, U.S. and other Western authorities have documented Russian military support and direct involvement in the conflict that has resulted in10,000 Ukrainian deaths.

The U.S. and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Secretary of State Rex Tillersontold Lavrov on Wednesday that U.S. sanctions won't be lifted until Russia reverses its actions.

The Minsk agreement requires the withdrawal of heavy weapons and the restoration of Ukrainian law in the separatist-held regions. The deal also calls for Ukraine to establisha "special status" for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that includes self-governance andcross-border cooperation with Russia. While fighting continues, that special status provision will not be accepted or adopted by Ukraine,according to Oksana Syroid, deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament.

Ukrainians"will not allow it," Syroid said last week in Washington. "It's against human dignity."

Klimkin said Russia maintains 6,000 military troops,2,000 tanks and other heavy weapons in the separatist-held area of Ukraine. Unless the recent changes are reversed, he warned that the situation there will become permanent.

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'US supports Ukraine' against Russia, Trump tells foreign minister - USA TODAY