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| Obama in Europe with Ukraine high on agenda; Kiev orders Crimea withdrawal | Obama in Europe with Ukraine high on agenda; Kiev orders Crimea withdrawal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President Obama landed in Europe on Monday to rally support for a tough stance against Russia’s takeover of a portion of Ukraine, even as Ukrainian authorities moved to end their military presence in the disputed region. | President Obama landed in Europe on Monday to rally support for a tough stance against Russia’s takeover of a portion of Ukraine, even as Ukrainian authorities moved to end their military presence in the disputed region. |
| The nuclear summit that brought Obama to the Netherlands has been overshadowed by Russia’s rapid move to absorb Crimea within its borders, and heightened concern about whether Moscow intends to push further. | The nuclear summit that brought Obama to the Netherlands has been overshadowed by Russia’s rapid move to absorb Crimea within its borders, and heightened concern about whether Moscow intends to push further. |
| Top Ukrainian and NATO officials both said Sunday they worried of an intensifying conflict. | Top Ukrainian and NATO officials both said Sunday they worried of an intensifying conflict. |
| Obama said Europe and the United States must approach that challenge “united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far” and prepared to go further if the situation escalates. | Obama said Europe and the United States must approach that challenge “united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far” and prepared to go further if the situation escalates. |
| Obama is to meet in the Netherlands with top world leaders including Chinese president Xi Jinping on Monday, and also with other major industrial nations in a session of the Group of 7. That gathering — including Japan, Canada and large European powers — will pointedly exclude Russia, which has typically joined sessions of an expanded “Group of 8.” | Obama is to meet in the Netherlands with top world leaders including Chinese president Xi Jinping on Monday, and also with other major industrial nations in a session of the Group of 7. That gathering — including Japan, Canada and large European powers — will pointedly exclude Russia, which has typically joined sessions of an expanded “Group of 8.” |
| Russian president Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, but sent the country’s foreign minister. | Russian president Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, but sent the country’s foreign minister. |
| Whether that sort of diplomatic isolation matters, however, remains to be seen. Ukrainian interim president Oleksandr Turchynov said in the national parliament on Monday that he had told the defense ministry to issue withdrawal orders for any remaining military personnel in Crimea, the disputed region where government installations have steadily fallen into Russian hands. | |
| Russian troops are now in control of the entire Ukrainian marine base at Feodosia, said a defense ministry official, and two senior commanders have been taken into custody. | Russian troops are now in control of the entire Ukrainian marine base at Feodosia, said a defense ministry official, and two senior commanders have been taken into custody. |
| Russian troops stormed the facility, home to a well-trained and armed force, in the early morning hours, firing automatic weapons and using stun grenades, said Vladislav Seleznyov, a defense ministry spokesman. Some of the Marines had their hands bound, he said, and 80 to 100 have been gathered together in one spot. | Russian troops stormed the facility, home to a well-trained and armed force, in the early morning hours, firing automatic weapons and using stun grenades, said Vladislav Seleznyov, a defense ministry spokesman. Some of the Marines had their hands bound, he said, and 80 to 100 have been gathered together in one spot. |
| Seleznyov said the Russians flew commander Dmitri Deliatizkii and his deputy, Rostilav Lomtev, off the base in a helicopter. Servicemen in Crimea said Monday afternoon that the orders had not yet reached them. | |
| The commander of a Ukrainian base in Belbek, Yuli Mamchur, has been held by Russians since his base was stormed Saturday. Ukrainian television has reported it is believed he is being held in a jail in the port city of Sevastopol. | The commander of a Ukrainian base in Belbek, Yuli Mamchur, has been held by Russians since his base was stormed Saturday. Ukrainian television has reported it is believed he is being held in a jail in the port city of Sevastopol. |
| “We are military people and we act on orders,” Seleznyov said by telephone. “When we get orders we will know where we go and what we’ll take with us.” | |
| Russia’s defense ministry announced Sunday its troops have taken control of 189 Ukrainian bases and facilities in Crimea. It is not clear how many, if any, still have a Ukrainian flag flying. | Russia’s defense ministry announced Sunday its troops have taken control of 189 Ukrainian bases and facilities in Crimea. It is not clear how many, if any, still have a Ukrainian flag flying. |
| Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Crimea Monday, according to Russian press reports, and met with the region’s leaders. | Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Crimea Monday, according to Russian press reports, and met with the region’s leaders. |
| With Crimea now fully in Russian hands, both sides have looked towards economic and diplomatic tools to pressure the other. | With Crimea now fully in Russian hands, both sides have looked towards economic and diplomatic tools to pressure the other. |
| In his talks in Europe, Obama is likely to focus on ways to enforce and perhaps stiffen economic sanctions already announced against Moscow, and to develop a package of economic and financial support for the Ukrainian government. | In his talks in Europe, Obama is likely to focus on ways to enforce and perhaps stiffen economic sanctions already announced against Moscow, and to develop a package of economic and financial support for the Ukrainian government. |
| Meanwhile, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said pensions for Crimeans would be raised to Russian levels, a decision that will cost the Russian treasury about $1 billion this year. He also said Crimea may be turned into a special economic zone where enterprises would be exempt from taxes until 2015. | Meanwhile, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said pensions for Crimeans would be raised to Russian levels, a decision that will cost the Russian treasury about $1 billion this year. He also said Crimea may be turned into a special economic zone where enterprises would be exempt from taxes until 2015. |
| The starkest warning about further Russian ambitions came from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya, appearing on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” who said the prospect of war with Russia is growing. | The starkest warning about further Russian ambitions came from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya, appearing on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” who said the prospect of war with Russia is growing. |
| “We don’t know what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has in his mind and what would be his decision,” Deshchytsya said. “That’s why this situation is becoming even more explosive than it used to be a week ago.” | “We don’t know what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has in his mind and what would be his decision,” Deshchytsya said. “That’s why this situation is becoming even more explosive than it used to be a week ago.” |
| In Brussels, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, said Russia had assembled a large force on Ukraine’s eastern border that could be planning to head for Moldova’s separatist Transnistria region, more than 300 miles away. | In Brussels, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, said Russia had assembled a large force on Ukraine’s eastern border that could be planning to head for Moldova’s separatist Transnistria region, more than 300 miles away. |
| Ukrainian officials have been warning for weeks that Russia is trying to provoke a conflict in eastern Ukraine, a charge that Russia denies. But Breedlove said Russian ambitions do not stop there. | Ukrainian officials have been warning for weeks that Russia is trying to provoke a conflict in eastern Ukraine, a charge that Russia denies. But Breedlove said Russian ambitions do not stop there. |
| “There is absolutely sufficient force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transnistria if the decision was made to do that, and that is very worrisome,” Breedlove said. | “There is absolutely sufficient force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transnistria if the decision was made to do that, and that is very worrisome,” Breedlove said. |
| A drive into Transnistria would mark an extraordinary deepening of Russia’s military thrust into former Soviet territory and sharply escalate tensions with the West. Transnistria, a narrow strip of land about the size of Rhode Island that is wedged between the rest of Moldova and southern Ukraine, proclaimed its independence in 1990. Its population went on to vote in 2006 to seek eventual unification with Russia. | A drive into Transnistria would mark an extraordinary deepening of Russia’s military thrust into former Soviet territory and sharply escalate tensions with the West. Transnistria, a narrow strip of land about the size of Rhode Island that is wedged between the rest of Moldova and southern Ukraine, proclaimed its independence in 1990. Its population went on to vote in 2006 to seek eventual unification with Russia. |
| Although those moves were not recognized internationally, the region has its own constitution and currency, and pro-Russian sentiment there runs high. About 1,200 Russian troops are stationed in the territory — fewer than were in Crimea, the site of a key Russian naval base, before the current crisis began. | Although those moves were not recognized internationally, the region has its own constitution and currency, and pro-Russian sentiment there runs high. About 1,200 Russian troops are stationed in the territory — fewer than were in Crimea, the site of a key Russian naval base, before the current crisis began. |
| In Washington, a senior Defense Department official said it was “difficult to know what [Russia’s] intent is; they’re not exactly being transparent.” He spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities. | In Washington, a senior Defense Department official said it was “difficult to know what [Russia’s] intent is; they’re not exactly being transparent.” He spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities. |
| During a conversation Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu assured U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that Russian troops on the Ukrainian border were merely conducting a regular “spring” exercise and that Russia had no intention of sending the forces across the international line, the U.S. official said. | During a conversation Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu assured U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that Russian troops on the Ukrainian border were merely conducting a regular “spring” exercise and that Russia had no intention of sending the forces across the international line, the U.S. official said. |
| But at the same time, the official said, “They have enough troops close enough and, most likely, ready enough that we would have very little notice” if they decided to move farther outside Russia. | But at the same time, the official said, “They have enough troops close enough and, most likely, ready enough that we would have very little notice” if they decided to move farther outside Russia. |
| Russian news services quoted Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying Sunday that Russia is complying with all international agreements on troop limits near its border with Ukraine. | Russian news services quoted Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying Sunday that Russia is complying with all international agreements on troop limits near its border with Ukraine. |
| In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, members of a visiting U.S. congressional delegation said Ukrainian officials were determined to prevent any further Russian incursion into their territory. | In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, members of a visiting U.S. congressional delegation said Ukrainian officials were determined to prevent any further Russian incursion into their territory. |
| “This would be no Crimea,” Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) said at a news conference, adding that Putin would find himself having to explain why young Russian men were coming home in coffins. “Ukraine is ready to fight.” | “This would be no Crimea,” Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) said at a news conference, adding that Putin would find himself having to explain why young Russian men were coming home in coffins. “Ukraine is ready to fight.” |
| Will Englund in Moscow and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report. Morello reported from Simferopol, Crimea. | Will Englund in Moscow and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report. Morello reported from Simferopol, Crimea. |