Little sign of progress as Obama, Putin speak

[Bosonic]

Last edited Tue Apr 15, 2014, 08:55 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for the first time in more than two weeks but showed little sign of agreement Monday, with the U.S. leader urging pro-Russian forces to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine and Putin denying that Moscow was interfering in the region.

The White House said Russia initiated the phone call, which came as pro-Russian forces deepened their insurgency in Ukraine's east, seizing more than a dozen government buildings.

"The president expressed grave concern about Russian government support for the actions of armed, pro-Russian separatists who threaten to undermine and destabilize the government of Ukraine," the White House said in a description of Obama's call with Putin. "The president emphasized that all irregular forces in the country need to lay down their arms, and he urged President Putin to use his influence with these armed, pro-Russian groups to convince them to depart the buildings they have seized."

In its own description of the call, the Kremlin said Putin told Obama reports of Russian interference in the region were "based on unreliable information." The Russian leader also urged Obama to discourage the Ukrainian government from using force against those protesters.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/little-sign-progress-obama-putin-speak-231431925--politics.html

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[TwilightGardener]

1. Obama and Kerry need to stop talking now. It's beyond useless, it's

counterproductive. Talks give Putin and Lavrov diplomatic cover and legitimacy for their actions--and they'll just do what they're going to do anyway, because they're liars. It's time to treat them like a rogue state for a while. Let Europe deal with them, we can give thumbs-up or down from afar.

[mallard]

5. Re: 'treat them like a rogue' because they're liars

As much of a waste of time as it may well be dealing with hardened attitudes, lies seem to be a major part of the basis for US foreign policy in recent times. Putin can't call off protestors he hasn't sent in. They're reacting to a coup they didn't support.

News should include more on Kremlin distancing themselves from any (further) seperatist ambitions. Ukraine is suffering from outside interference, on that much we might agree. People pushing for a return to cold war and wanting all blame on Moscow are basically the culprit side.

Did you support the invasion of Iraq?

[another_liberal]

2. Latest developments:

GMT is four hours later than Eastern Standard.

23:41 GMT:

Radicals attacked two presidential candidates that were taking part in popular Ukrainian talk show ‘Svoboda Slova’. Unidentified individuals blocked and damaged the vehicle carrying Mikhail Dobkin and injured his aides, the presidential candidate said during a live phone interview later on the show. Other media reports said that the radicals poured green-coloured anti-septic solution and flour on him.

The vehicle carrying a second presidential candidate, Oleg Tsarev, was similarly blocked by radicals inside the ICTV building, where the show was taking place, Tsarev’s press service reported. The whole building is surrounded by unidentified gunmen, according to the statement.

The two candidates were scheduled to join a third presidential candidate, Yulia Tymoshenko, on the talk show.
23:29 GMT:

There are no new specifics regarding talk of additional EU sanctions against Russia, Russia's Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told reporters while commenting on a summary document following a European Council on Foreign Affairs meeting in Luxembourg. Chizhov said that developments in Ukraine in the next few hours or days will demonstrate (to Russia) if there is anything to discuss with Ukraine's acting foreign minister at an April 17th Geneva meeting.
22:44 GMT:

Ukrainian armed forces are preparing to implement orders outlined by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), acting Defence Minister Mikhail Koval said on local television.
22:18 GMT:

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry announced the establishment of special security units to protect public order, according to the ministry’s website.
22:09 GMT:

Pro-federalization protesters set up roadblocks on all of the three main roads leading into the eastern Ukrainian town of Slovyansk, RIA Novosti reported. The move follows earlier reports that Ukrainian tanks and heavy military equipment were moving towards the town.
22:08 GMT:

Armored Personnel Carriers belonging to the Ukrainian army have been spotted near the town of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, RIA Novosti quoted witnesses as saying. Earlier, the city’s administration building was taken over by pro-federalization protesters.
21:47 GMT:

The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine approved the decision to involve the Ukrainian army in an "anti-terrorist operation" in the east of Ukraine, according to Deputy Secretary of NSDC Victoria Syumar’s Facebook post.
21:38 GMT:

Demonstrators gathered on Independence Square in central Kiev are demanding the resignation of acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and more decisive actions in eastern Ukraine, Interfax quoted local media as saying.
21:32 GMT:

Ukrainian tanks and heavy military equipment are moving towards the eastern town of Slavyansk, ITAR-TASS reported quoting acting mayor Vyacheslav Ponomarev as saying. On Monday, protesters ignored the ultimatum to leave by 9 am, and a Russian flag continued to fly over the besieged police HQs in Slavyansk. Ponomarev added that they are getting ready and are monitoring the situation. “We don’t want bloodshed, we are committed to negotiations,” he said.
20:11 GMT:

Vladimir Putin has urged his US counterpart Barack Obama to use his influence on the Ukrainian government to prevent “bloodshed” in the country.

Read more at: http://rt.com/news/kiev-clashes-rioters-police-571/

[delrem]

3. "who threaten to undermine and destabilize the government of Ukraine"

Cool, absolutely cool.
Premised on:
The gov't of Ukraine being so stable in a time honoured way.

Let's not talk about a democracy that was overthrown a couple of weeks ago.

No. Let's not.

No. Please. Let's not.

[uhnope]

4. by your logic we'd all be bowing to the Queen of England