US Secretary of State John Kerry has accused Russia of "distraction, deception and destabilisation" in eastern Ukraine.
Earlier, Russia called on the US to make Kiev stop raids on pro-Moscow separatists in the east.
Russia ordered new military exercises on its border following the raids, drawing condemnation from Ukraine.
Mr Kerry was speaking amid an increasing war of words between the US and Russia over events in eastern Ukraine........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27152019
25/4/14
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Remarks on Ukraine
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Secretary of State
State Department Press Briefing Room
Washington, DC
April 24, 2014
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It has now been a week since the United States, the
European Union, Russia, and Ukraine met in Geneva. We did so after a
phone call between President Putin and President Obama, in which both
leaders expressed a desire to avoid further escalation in Ukraine. We
met in Geneva with a clear mission: to improve security conditions and
find political solutions to the conflict threatening the sovereignty and
unity of Ukraine. And right there in Geneva, EU High Representative
Ashton and I made clear that both Russia and Ukraine had to demonstrate
more than good faith. They needed to take concrete actions in order to
meet their commitments.
The simple reality is
you can’t resolve a crisis when only one side is willing to do what is
necessary to avoid a confrontation. Every day since we left Geneva –
every day, even up to today, when Russia sent armored battalions right
up the Luhansk Oblast border – the world has witnessed a tale of two
countries, two countries with vastly different understandings of what it
means to uphold an international agreement.
One week later, it is
clear that only one side, one country, is keeping its word. And for
anyone who wants to create gray areas out of black, or find in the fine
print crude ways to justify crude actions, let’s get real – the Geneva
agreement is not open to interpretation. It is not vague. It is not
subjective. It is not optional. What we agreed to in Geneva is as
simple as it is specific.
We agreed that all
sides would refrain from violence, intimidation, and taking provocative
actions. We agreed that illegal groups would lay down their arms and
that, in exchange for amnesty, they would hand over the public buildings
and spaces that they occupied. We agreed that to implement these
objectives – and this is important, to implement this – monitors from
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe would have
unfettered access to parts of Ukraine where they were needed most. And
we agreed that all parties would work to create that access and to
provide help to the OSCE in order to do this. We agreed that the OSCE
would report from the ground whether the rights, security, and dignity
of Ukrainian citizens was being protected.
From day one, the
Government of Ukraine started making good on its commitments – from day
one. From day one, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk has kept his word. He
immediately agreed to help vacate buildings. He suspended Ukraine’s
counterterrorism initiative over Easter, choosing de-escalation, despite
Ukraine’s legitimate, fundamental right to defend its own territory and
its own people. From day one, the Ukrainian Government sent senior
officials to work with the OSCE, in keeping with the agreement, to send
them to work in regions where Russia had voiced its most urgent concerns
about the security of Russian speakers and ethnic Russians. And on day
one, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk went on live television and committed his
government publicly to all of the people of Ukraine that – and these
are his words – committed them to undertake comprehensive constitutional
reform that will strengthen the powers of the regions. He directly
addressed the concerns expressed by the Russians, and he did so on day
one.
He also made a personal
appeal to Russian-speaking Ukrainians, pledging to support – and again,
these are his words – a special status to the Russian language and the
protection of the language. And in keeping with his Geneva commitments,
Prime Minister Yatsenyuk has publicly announced amnesty legislation –
once more, in his words – for all those who surrender arms, come out of
the premises and will begin with the Ukrainian people to build a
sovereign and independent Ukraine. That is a promise made by the
interim government to the people of Ukraine.
24/4/14
Kerry erhebt schwere Vorwürfe gegen Russland...Sehr deutliche Worte aus Washington...
ReplyDeleteUS-Außenminister John Kerry hat der russischen Führung eine Missachtung des Genfer Friedensplans und eine Destabilisierung der Ukraine vorgeworfen. Sollte Russland diesen Weg weitergehen, wäre das nicht nur ein schwerer, sondern ein teurer Fehler. "Das Fenster für einen Kurswechsel schließt sich", fügte Kerry hinzu, der damit weitere Sanktionen gegen Russland andeutete.
Niemand solle daran zweifeln, dass Moskau seine Finger im Spiel habe. "Was in der Ostukraine passiert, ist eine gut durchdachte und organisierte Militäroperation, und wir gehen davon aus, dass sie auf Betreiben Russlands ausgeführt wird." Russland finanziere und koordiniere eine "schwer bewaffnete Bewegung".
Die Separatisten seien nicht nur mit Granatwerfern und modernsten Waffen aus russischer Produktion ausgerüstet, sondern versteckten auch die Abzeichen ihrer brandneuen, identischen Militäruniformen. Die von ihnen gesprochenen Dialekte stammten aus Gegenden, die tausende Kilometer entfernt liegen. Behauptungen der russischen Führung, dass es sich bei den Separatisten lediglich um örtliche Aktivisten handele, bezeichnete Kerry als "ungeheuerlich" und "absurd"......http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ukraine-kerry100.html
25/4/14
Konflikt mit Russland Kerry warnt Putin vor einem „teuren Fehler“...
ReplyDelete25.04.2014 · Der amerikanische Außenminister beschuldigt Russland, die Krise in der Ukraine weiter anzuheizen und stellt deutlich schärfere Sanktionen in Aussicht. Bundesaußenminister Steinmeier startet unterdessen einen neuen Versuch zur Rettung des Genfer Friedensplans.............http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/konflikt-mit-russland-kerry-warnt-putin-vor-einem-teuren-fehler-12909635.html
25/4/14
Ukraine : Washington met en garde Moscou contre une "erreur coûteuse"...
ReplyDeleteAu lendemain de heurts meurtriers dans l’est de l’Ukraine, les tensions restent vives entre les troupes ukrainiennes et les insurgés pro-russes, mais aussi entre Moscou et Washington qui rivalisent à coups de menaces.
En Ukraine, au lendemain d’un assaut meurtrier de Kiev contre les séparatistes pro-russes dans l'est du pays, la situation reste tendue non seulement sur le terrain mais aussi sur le plan diplomatique, entre Washington et Moscou.
Jeudi 24 avril, le secrétaire d'État américain John Kerry a vertement tancé la Russie, estimant que Moscou n’avait "pas pris la moindre initiative" pour mettre en œuvre l'accord conclu à Genève qui doit faire baisser la tension en Ukraine. Il a dénoncé "une erreur coûteuse".........http://www.france24.com/fr/20140425-ukraine-kiev-conflit-russie-etats-unis-kerry-poutine-obama-moscou-washington/
25/4/14
S&P has downgraded Russia’s sovereign rating from BBB to BBB- with ‘negative’ outlook...
ReplyDeleteInternational rating agency S&P has downgraded Russia’s sovereign rating from BBB to BBB- with ‘negative’ outlook. S&P has explained downgrading of Russia’s sovereign credit rating from BBB to BBB - with capital flight from the country in the first quarter of 2014 and reduced capabilities to attract funding on foreign financial markets due to current Ukrainian political crisis, the agency stated.
"We believe that the complex geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine may lead to additional substantial outflow of both foreign and local capital of the Russian economy, undermining the already weak growth prospects," S&P said.........http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/729547
25/4/14
Russia's Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has lashed out at US Secretary of State John Kerry over his 'prosecutorial' remarks about RT......
ReplyDelete"The US is trying to pervert everything that is going on in Ukraine. They accuse us of turning on - what was called by John Kerry in a prosecutorial tone - accuse us of switching on what they called the ‘Putin propaganda machine’ called RT,” said Lavrov during the press conference.
“Well, It’s not civilized to call the media like that,” he said, adding that he can "understand John Kerry because RT now presents serious competition for CNN and BBC and other media outlets, which some time ago were confident that they had an absolute monopoly and no competition could threaten them."
However, RT news channel has gathered a large audience among US and European viewers, let alone in Latin America and the Arab World, Lavrov said.
According to Lavrov, Russia will actively support these independent views of RT, which are an alternative to what Western propaganda tells the world.
During a press conference with the State Department on Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry rounded on RT, lashing out at its Ukraine coverage.
“The propaganda bullhorn that is the state-sponsored RT program has been deployed to promote – actually, RT network – has been deployed to promote President Putin’s fantasy about what is playing out on the ground,” Kerry said.
http://rt.com/news/154800-lavrov-kerry-rt-comment/
25/4/14
Moscow to block distortion of Geneva accords on Ukraine - Lavrov....
ReplyDeleteRussia will block all attempts to distort the Geneva agreement reached last week on settling the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday. "To complain to us that we have signed something in Geneva that legitimizes the actions of the current regime [in Ukraine] and demand that we take some de-escalating steps only in the southeast, is simply a lie. Therefore, we will insist on respecting the Geneva Accords and will categorically reject attempts for them to be distorted," Lavrov said during a CIS Youth Diplomats Forum.
"US propaganda power has always been aimed at and continues being aimed at distorting the picture of what is happening in Ukraine, smearing the Russian Federation and smearing those who protest against the illegitimate actions of powers trying to ban the Russian language," he added.
Lavrov earlier said Washington cites "incredible arguments" justifying Kiev's failure to comply with the Geneva agreements on Ukraine. "When we demanded full commitment to the Geneva Accords, to begin with the release of the seized buildings in Kiev, you know what the US replied?" Lavrov asked, referring to a recent statement by US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.
In an interview with CNN earlier this week, Nuland said: "You can't compare the situation in Kiev, where now everything that is still being held by protesters is being held with licenses and with the agreement of the government of Ukraine, with the agreement of the Rada, or with regular leases from the owners of the buildings."......Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_25/Moscow-to-block-distortion-of-Geneva-accords-on-Ukraine-Lavrov-4867/
25/4/14