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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has
expressed hope that a plan to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine, reached
Thursday in Geneva, will lead to restoration of peace and security for
all citizens of Ukraine. Obama told reporters in Washington that if
Russia fails to take steps to defuse the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the
United States and Europe will respond with tough measures, but he ruled
out a military intervention.Obama said the sanctions already imposed on Russia have had a documented impact on its economy, and that additional measures could make the situation worse.
"But we don't have an interest in hurting ordinary Russians just for the sake of it. Our strong preference would be for Mr. Putin to follow through on what is a glimmer of hope coming out of these Geneva talks, but we are not going to count on it until we see it," said Obama.
Obama spoke after news from Geneva that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and their European counterpart Catherine Ashton had agreed on a plan to de-escalate tensions and prevent bloodshed between Ukrainian military forces and pro-Russian militias. Lavrov announced after the meeting that the OSCE mission already in Ukraine will monitor the implementation of the plan.
"All illegally armed groups must be disarmed. All illegally seized buildings must be returned to the legitimate owners. All streets, squares and other public spaces in all Ukrainian cities must be vacated. An amnesty must be granted to all protesters, except those found guilty of illegal crimes," said Lavrov.
Armed pro-Russian groups have taken over government buildings in many eastern Ukrainian cities and Russia has amassed forces along its border with Ukraine, sparking fears of a repeat of the Crimea scenario.
Former U.S. permanent representative to NATO Kurt Volker does not put much faith in Thursday's agreement with Moscow.
"It is deliberately misleading about what’s going on in Ukraine and what its own actions are in Ukraine. And when it says it’s agreed to de-escalation, I am convinced that what Russia means is that they expect Ukraine and the West to de-escalate and allow Russia to go about doing what it’s doing. So I don’t see this agreement is really amounting to very much,” said Volker.
Volker said the U.S. and NATO must show strength and resolve to deter Russia from further steps, and that will create stability.
Obama on Thursday promised tough action to deter Russia, but he ruled out any military option.
"Because this is not a situation that would be amenable to a clear military solution. What we have to do is to create an environment in which irregular forces disarm, that the seizing of buildings cease, that a national dialogue by Ukrainians - not by Russian, not by Americans or anybody else but by Ukrainians - takes place," said Obama.
Obama said Ukraine needs to implement reforms that meet the interests of all its various groups, hold elections and start working on its economy.
[voanews.com]
18/4/14
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Related:
Four-party meeting approves document on deescalation of tensions in Ukraine
Geneva Statement on Ukraine, Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson
Readout of the President’s Call with Chancellor Merkel of Germany, -The White House
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A checkpoint of protesters was destroyed in the village of Sergeyevka near Sloviansk, the Donetsk oblast, Ukraine's 112.ua news agency reported....
ReplyDeleteA woman in the village said shooting was heard "in the area of the road".
"Local residents say that people in military uniform have appeared in the village. Supposedly those are paratroopers participating in the Ukrainian Armed Forces' anti-terrorist operation," the agency reported.
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/728590
18/4/14
Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini has lauded agreements reached in Geneva at a meeting of representatives of Russia, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine on Thursday.............
ReplyDelete“Agreement in Geneva means a turnaround in the Ukrainian crisis, the beginning of the phase of dialogue,” Mogherini said, adding that it is the start of a new path “in which we believed and for the sake of which we worked, but which had not been predetermined”.
“Now the agreed measures should be implemented, tensions in the east of Ukraine should subside, all sides should take a responsible position, violence should be stopped, including with the help of the OSCE mission,” she said.
“It is very important for the set of constitutional reforms to continue quickly, in conditions of transparency for the benefit of all Ukrainian...............http://en.itar-tass.com/world/728590
18/4/14
East Ukraine militants snub Geneva deal on crisis...
ReplyDeletePro-Russian separatists in Donetsk say they will not leave the government building there, defying the Kiev authorities and threatening a new international deal on Ukraine.
The separatists' spokesman told the BBC that the Kiev government was "illegal", so they would not go until the Kiev government stepped down.....http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27076226
18/4/14