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Ukraine’s Interim Leader Seeks Aid in Washington | Ukraine’s Interim Leader Seeks Aid in Washington |
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WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday raised the stakes in the showdown with Russia over its invasion of Crimea as he welcomed Ukraine’s interim prime minister to the White House in a defiant show of solidarity and vowed retaliation if Moscow follows through with threats to annex the peninsula. | |
Mr. Obama said the international community would “completely reject” what he called a “slapdash election” to be held in Crimea to justify annexation by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. But Mr. Obama also approved a last-ditch diplomatic effort by sending Secretary of State John Kerry to London to meet with his Russian counterpart on Friday, just two days before the pivotal referendum supported by Moscow. | |
“If it continues on the path that it is on, then not only us but the international community, the European Union and others will be forced to apply a cost to Russia’s violations of international law and its encroachments on Ukraine,” Mr. Obama said. “There’s another path available, and we hope that President Putin is willing to seize that path. But if he does not, I’m very confident that the international community will stand strongly behind the Ukrainian government in preserving its unity and its territorial integrity.” | |
The interim Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, in strong words belying his slight frame and sober demeanor, promised to oppose Russian interference in Ukraine. “Mr. President,” he said, addressing Mr. Obama, “it’s all about the freedom. We fight for our freedom. We fight for our independence. We fight for our sovereignty. And we will never surrender.” | |
Mr. Yatsenyuk’s visit to the White House offered potent symbolism just weeks after the young opposition figure led street protests that toppled a pro-Russian government in Kiev and took control himself, only to now find his nation of 46 million teetering on the edge of financial and geopolitical upheaval. Cast as an enemy by the Kremlin, Mr. Yatsenyuk was celebrated as a hero in Washington as he sought an economic and diplomatic rescue mission for his besieged new government. | |
His visit comes at a critical moment for his country. Russian troops have been solidifying their positions in Crimea in advance of Sunday’s referendum. The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan, in a joint statement as the Group of 7, called the vote illegal on Wednesday and vowed unspecified “further action” if Russia annexes the peninsula. | |
Just as significant on his agenda for Washington, Mr. Yatsenyuk sought a booster shot for Ukraine’s flailing economy. Mr. Kerry has committed $1 billion in loan guarantees, and Congress is working on legislation to make that happen, but that is just a small fraction of what Ukraine is reported to need to prevent a more dire financial and economic slide. | |
Mr. Yatsenyuk was scheduled to meet on Wednesday evening at the Capitol with Speaker John A. Boehner and later with Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, and the rest of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. | |
“Putin has miscalculated by starting a game of Russian roulette with the international community,” Mr. Menendez wrote in The Washington Post on Wednesday, “but we refuse to blink, and we will never accept this violation of international law.” | “Putin has miscalculated by starting a game of Russian roulette with the international community,” Mr. Menendez wrote in The Washington Post on Wednesday, “but we refuse to blink, and we will never accept this violation of international law.” |
Mr. Menendez, the committee’s chairman, took up legislation on Wednesday that would provide the loan guarantees for Ukraine as well as $50 million to help encourage democracy in Ukraine and an additional $100 million for enhanced security cooperation with Ukraine and other East European states. It would also authorize sanctions in addition to those contemplated by Mr. Obama. | |
The bill passed the committee 14 to 3, but is on a collision course with the House, where Republicans passed their own version of the loan guarantees. Senate Democrats want to attach long-stalled changes to the International Monetary Fund to the bill, while House Republicans oppose that. | |
Mr. Yatsenyuk has become the face of the new Ukrainian government after leading months of street protests against Mr. Yanukovych. Thin, balding and bespectacled, Mr. Yatsenyuk, 39, brings a long résumé to the post, having served as economics minister, foreign minister and speaker of Parliament. With his roots in the opposition party of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, he ran for president in 2010 but won just 7 percent of the vote in the first round. | Mr. Yatsenyuk has become the face of the new Ukrainian government after leading months of street protests against Mr. Yanukovych. Thin, balding and bespectacled, Mr. Yatsenyuk, 39, brings a long résumé to the post, having served as economics minister, foreign minister and speaker of Parliament. With his roots in the opposition party of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, he ran for president in 2010 but won just 7 percent of the vote in the first round. |
Nonetheless, he has been seen as a favorite of Washington, especially compared with some of his allies in the opposition movement. “I think Yats is the guy who’s got the economic experience, the governing experience,” Victoria J. Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for the region, told a colleague in a January telephone call that was mysteriously tapped and later posted on the Internet. | Nonetheless, he has been seen as a favorite of Washington, especially compared with some of his allies in the opposition movement. “I think Yats is the guy who’s got the economic experience, the governing experience,” Victoria J. Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for the region, told a colleague in a January telephone call that was mysteriously tapped and later posted on the Internet. |
In a speech to Parliament before leaving Kiev for Washington, Mr. Yatsenyuk noted that the United States, along with Russia and Britain, signed a treaty in 1994 with Ukraine pledging to uphold its security in exchange for its giving up the nuclear weapons it still held at the breakup of the Soviet Union. | In a speech to Parliament before leaving Kiev for Washington, Mr. Yatsenyuk noted that the United States, along with Russia and Britain, signed a treaty in 1994 with Ukraine pledging to uphold its security in exchange for its giving up the nuclear weapons it still held at the breakup of the Soviet Union. |
“We are not asking for anything from anyone,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said, according to news agencies. “We are asking for just one thing — military aggression has been used against our country. Those who guaranteed that this aggression will not take place must from the one side pull out troops and from the other side must defend our independent, sovereign state.” | “We are not asking for anything from anyone,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said, according to news agencies. “We are asking for just one thing — military aggression has been used against our country. Those who guaranteed that this aggression will not take place must from the one side pull out troops and from the other side must defend our independent, sovereign state.” |
In Kiev on Wednesday, Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, said that Ukraine could not retake Crimea militarily even if it wanted to. “We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected,” he said, noting that Russia has “significant tank units massed” near the border. | In Kiev on Wednesday, Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, said that Ukraine could not retake Crimea militarily even if it wanted to. “We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected,” he said, noting that Russia has “significant tank units massed” near the border. |
The Russians seemed uninterested in a diplomatic solution to the Crimea issue, he said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. “They are refusing all contact at foreign ministry and top government level,” Mr. Turchynov said. | The Russians seemed uninterested in a diplomatic solution to the Crimea issue, he said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. “They are refusing all contact at foreign ministry and top government level,” Mr. Turchynov said. |
He said that this Sunday’s referendum in Crimea on joining Russia was “a sham” and its outcome would be decided “in the offices of the Kremlin.” | He said that this Sunday’s referendum in Crimea on joining Russia was “a sham” and its outcome would be decided “in the offices of the Kremlin.” |
Ukraine would not provide Russia “a pretext to intervene on the Ukrainian mainland” despite provocation, Mr. Turchynov said. | Ukraine would not provide Russia “a pretext to intervene on the Ukrainian mainland” despite provocation, Mr. Turchynov said. |
His warnings were echoed Wednesday by Andriy Parubiy, head of the new government’s National Security and Defense Council, who said that “Ukraine today is facing the threat of a full-scale invasion from various directions.” | His warnings were echoed Wednesday by Andriy Parubiy, head of the new government’s National Security and Defense Council, who said that “Ukraine today is facing the threat of a full-scale invasion from various directions.” |
Russian forces near the border include more than 80,000 soldiers, up to 270 tanks, up to 370 artillery systems, up to 140 combat aircraft, up to 40 helicopters and up to 19 combat ships and boats, Mr. Parubiy said. | Russian forces near the border include more than 80,000 soldiers, up to 270 tanks, up to 370 artillery systems, up to 140 combat aircraft, up to 40 helicopters and up to 19 combat ships and boats, Mr. Parubiy said. |
He said that Russian “provocateurs” trying to foment reasons for a Russian invasion have been active in the Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson regions but have been foiled by Ukrainian police and security forces, and that 3,700 Russians suspected of wanting to stir trouble have been denied entry to Ukraine. | He said that Russian “provocateurs” trying to foment reasons for a Russian invasion have been active in the Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson regions but have been foiled by Ukrainian police and security forces, and that 3,700 Russians suspected of wanting to stir trouble have been denied entry to Ukraine. |
Mr. Parubiy also said that 399 “refugees” from Crimea had already been registered. “These people feel threat to their lives,” he said. “They are moving to a safe territory where we can ensure the protection of their constitutional rights.” Many of them are Crimean Tatars, he said. | Mr. Parubiy also said that 399 “refugees” from Crimea had already been registered. “These people feel threat to their lives,” he said. “They are moving to a safe territory where we can ensure the protection of their constitutional rights.” Many of them are Crimean Tatars, he said. |
About 560 people have fled Crimea in the last few days, with almost 400 arriving on the mainland, Ukraine’s border guards service said. On Wednesday alone, 158 people, mostly Muslim Tatars, left Crimea for mainland Ukraine. | About 560 people have fled Crimea in the last few days, with almost 400 arriving on the mainland, Ukraine’s border guards service said. On Wednesday alone, 158 people, mostly Muslim Tatars, left Crimea for mainland Ukraine. |