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| Ukraine crisis: US and Russia due to hold talks as Sergei Lavrov gives news briefing | Ukraine crisis: US and Russia due to hold talks as Sergei Lavrov gives news briefing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| William Hague has said he is "not optimistic" that direct talks with Russia will help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis when he meets with the Russian Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State today. | William Hague has said he is "not optimistic" that direct talks with Russia will help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis when he meets with the Russian Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State today. |
| The British Foreign Secretary said every diplomatic effort would be made to bring the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine together later in the day after an international conference on Lebanon. | The British Foreign Secretary said every diplomatic effort would be made to bring the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine together later in the day after an international conference on Lebanon. |
| But he said there was little sign that Russia would agree to set up a "contact group" for direct talks with the government in Kiev. | But he said there was little sign that Russia would agree to set up a "contact group" for direct talks with the government in Kiev. |
| "I am not optimistic about the outcome of that but of course it is right to try every diplomatic opportunity to de-escalate the crisis," he told reporters in the French capital. | "I am not optimistic about the outcome of that but of course it is right to try every diplomatic opportunity to de-escalate the crisis," he told reporters in the French capital. |
| John Kerry and Mr Hague are due to hold face-to-face talks with Mr Lavrov on easing east-west tensions in the country for the first time since the crisis in Ukraine has escalated. | John Kerry and Mr Hague are due to hold face-to-face talks with Mr Lavrov on easing east-west tensions in the country for the first time since the crisis in Ukraine has escalated. |
| The US and Britain failed in an attempt to bring Russia and Ukraine together at a meeting today in Paris of a group created to assure Kiev's security after it renounced nuclear weapons in the 1990s. | The US and Britain failed in an attempt to bring Russia and Ukraine together at a meeting today in Paris of a group created to assure Kiev's security after it renounced nuclear weapons in the 1990s. |
| Mr Kerry told reporters that "regrettably" one member, Russia, had not appeared for a meeting of the so-called Budapest agreement group, which involves Washington, London, Moscow and Kiev. | Mr Kerry told reporters that "regrettably" one member, Russia, had not appeared for a meeting of the so-called Budapest agreement group, which involves Washington, London, Moscow and Kiev. |
| Earlier, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, as the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov prepared to talks in Paris to ease tensions. | Earlier, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, as the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov prepared to talks in Paris to ease tensions. |
| Mr Lavrov repeated the Russian president's claim that they cannot order pro-Russian armed groups in Ukraine's Crimea region to return to their bases because they are "self-defence" forces and do not answer to Moscow during a news conference in Madrid. | Mr Lavrov repeated the Russian president's claim that they cannot order pro-Russian armed groups in Ukraine's Crimea region to return to their bases because they are "self-defence" forces and do not answer to Moscow during a news conference in Madrid. |
| However, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, adding that Moscow would like to see tensions de-escalate. | However, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, adding that Moscow would like to see tensions de-escalate. |
| "If you mean the self-defence units created by residents of Crimea, we give them no orders, they take no orders from us," he told the news conference. | "If you mean the self-defence units created by residents of Crimea, we give them no orders, they take no orders from us," he told the news conference. |
| "As for the military personnel of the Black Sea Fleet, they are in their deployment sites," Mr Lavrov said, referring to a Russian naval unit based in Crimea. "Yes, additional vigilance measures were taken to safeguard the sites." | "As for the military personnel of the Black Sea Fleet, they are in their deployment sites," Mr Lavrov said, referring to a Russian naval unit based in Crimea. "Yes, additional vigilance measures were taken to safeguard the sites." |
| Russia has since said it has imposed a ban on the transportation of nuclear fuel across Ukraine, citing the "unstable situation in the country". | |
| Meanwhile, as news of the alleged occupation by Russian troops of two Ukrainian missile defence battalions in the Crimea region surfaced, Ukrainian police have said they are clearing pro-Russian protesters from a government building in Donetsk, after demonstrators stormed the building on Monday and erected the Russian flag on the roof. | Meanwhile, as news of the alleged occupation by Russian troops of two Ukrainian missile defence battalions in the Crimea region surfaced, Ukrainian police have said they are clearing pro-Russian protesters from a government building in Donetsk, after demonstrators stormed the building on Monday and erected the Russian flag on the roof. |
| The eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk rejects Kiev’s authority and acted as a political support base of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. | The eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk rejects Kiev’s authority and acted as a political support base of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. |
| Nato and Russia will hold talks in Brussels to discuss the stand-off between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in Crimea and the possibility that Moscow may intervene. | Nato and Russia will hold talks in Brussels to discuss the stand-off between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in Crimea and the possibility that Moscow may intervene. |
| On Tuesday, the Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was currently no need to send Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, but cautioned Russia would take all measures necessary to protect Ukraine's citizens if they requested help. | On Tuesday, the Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was currently no need to send Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, but cautioned Russia would take all measures necessary to protect Ukraine's citizens if they requested help. |
| The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has warned European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday could decide on sanctions against Russia if there is no "de-escalation" by that point. | The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has warned European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday could decide on sanctions against Russia if there is no "de-escalation" by that point. |
| Speaking to France’s BFM TV channel, Mr Fabius said such measures could include restricting visas and individual assets. | Speaking to France’s BFM TV channel, Mr Fabius said such measures could include restricting visas and individual assets. |
| During a live press conference yesterday, Mr Putin said Western sanctions under consideration against Russia would be “counter-productive” and would cause “mutual harm.” | During a live press conference yesterday, Mr Putin said Western sanctions under consideration against Russia would be “counter-productive” and would cause “mutual harm.” |
| In Washington, US President Barack Obama acknowledged that Russia had legitimate interests in Ukraine but said that did not give Mr Putin the right to intervene militarily. | In Washington, US President Barack Obama acknowledged that Russia had legitimate interests in Ukraine but said that did not give Mr Putin the right to intervene militarily. |
| "President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations," Mr Obama said. "But I don't think that's fooling anybody." | "President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations," Mr Obama said. "But I don't think that's fooling anybody." |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |