Russia says Ukraine presidential vote 'senseless' without dialogue

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday that it would "senseless" for Ukraine to hold a presidential election set for May 25 unless the government ends a military operation against separatists in the east and begins a nationwide dialogue on constitutional reform. In a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said violence that killed more than 40 people in the Ukrainian city of Odessa last week must be thoroughly investigated, the Foreign Ministry said. (Writing by Steve Gutterman, editing by Nigel Stephenson)