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Kerry Joins Geneva Talks on Crisis in Ukraine Kerry Joins Geneva Talks on Crisis in Ukraine
(about 2 hours later)
GENEVA — Secretary of State John Kerry began talks here on Thursday with his counterparts from Ukraine, Russia and the European Union, in an uphill effort to defuse the spiraling tensions over Ukraine.GENEVA — Secretary of State John Kerry began talks here on Thursday with his counterparts from Ukraine, Russia and the European Union, in an uphill effort to defuse the spiraling tensions over Ukraine.
Asked if he expected to make any progress, Mr. Kerry shrugged, lifting his hands. The gesture appeared to capture the wary mood about the chances that an accommodation between Ukraine and Russia could be achieved at the four-way meeting.Asked if he expected to make any progress, Mr. Kerry shrugged, lifting his hands. The gesture appeared to capture the wary mood about the chances that an accommodation between Ukraine and Russia could be achieved at the four-way meeting.
The talks are being held at the same luxury hotel where, five years ago, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was then serving as secretary of state, presented the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, with a red “reset” button that was intended to signal a fresh start in relations between the Obama administration and the Kremlin. The talks are being held at the same luxury hotel where, five years ago, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was then serving as secretary of state, presented the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, with a red “reset” button that was intended to signal a fresh start in relations between the White House and the Kremlin.
The purpose of the session Thursday is to bring Ukraine and Russia to the same table — with the United States and the European Union participating — and to foster a dialogue on political and security issues.The purpose of the session Thursday is to bring Ukraine and Russia to the same table — with the United States and the European Union participating — and to foster a dialogue on political and security issues.
Before the meeting began, Mr. Kerry conferred privately with Andrii Deshchytsia, Ukraine’s acting foreign minister, about the presentation Ukraine intended to make to Mr. Lavrov on plans to decentralize power and to de-escalate tensions.Before the meeting began, Mr. Kerry conferred privately with Andrii Deshchytsia, Ukraine’s acting foreign minister, about the presentation Ukraine intended to make to Mr. Lavrov on plans to decentralize power and to de-escalate tensions.
“We are going to talk, and we probably will have a good message,” Mr. Deshchytsia said about consultations with Mr. Kerry.“We are going to talk, and we probably will have a good message,” Mr. Deshchytsia said about consultations with Mr. Kerry.
But the four-way meeting began with an enormous gap between the Ukrainian and Russian positions. Ukrainian officials planned to present their ideas on how to decentralize authority so that the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine would elect their own leaders and have more control over local budgets.But the four-way meeting began with an enormous gap between the Ukrainian and Russian positions. Ukrainian officials planned to present their ideas on how to decentralize authority so that the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine would elect their own leaders and have more control over local budgets.
But Russia has advocated a far more extensive version of federalism, one that would make Ukraine’s eastern provinces largely autonomous regions that could wield veto power over national issues like foreign policy, in effect increasing Moscow’s influence.But Russia has advocated a far more extensive version of federalism, one that would make Ukraine’s eastern provinces largely autonomous regions that could wield veto power over national issues like foreign policy, in effect increasing Moscow’s influence.
Another question hanging over the talks is whether incremental moves by the United States and Europe to impose economic sanctions on Moscow are sufficient to dissuade President Vladimir V. Putin from supporting the separatist movement in Ukraine, as Western nations contend.Another question hanging over the talks is whether incremental moves by the United States and Europe to impose economic sanctions on Moscow are sufficient to dissuade President Vladimir V. Putin from supporting the separatist movement in Ukraine, as Western nations contend.
The Obama administration has said that the sanctions have hurt the Russian economy and forced the government to spend billions of dollars to prop up the ruble.The Obama administration has said that the sanctions have hurt the Russian economy and forced the government to spend billions of dollars to prop up the ruble.
But a statement the State Department issued on Sunday said that Russian agents had orchestrated the seizure of government buildings in eastern Ukraine amounted to a tacit acknowledgment that Western economic pressure had yet to restrain the Kremlin’s involvement on the ground.But a statement the State Department issued on Sunday said that Russian agents had orchestrated the seizure of government buildings in eastern Ukraine amounted to a tacit acknowledgment that Western economic pressure had yet to restrain the Kremlin’s involvement on the ground.
The West’s incremental approach toward Russia has been evident at NATO as well. On the eve of the talks here, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the secretary general of the alliance, announced that it would strengthen its posture by flying more patrols over the Baltic region and by deploying allied ships to the Baltic sea. The West’s incremental approach toward Russia has been evident at NATO as well. On the eve of the talks here, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the secretary general of the alliance, announced that it would strengthen its posture by flying more patrols over the Baltic region and by deploying allied ships to the Baltic Sea.
While Mr. Rasmussen left the door open for additional steps, the measures he announced fell well short of appeals by Baltic and Eastern European members for the continuous deployment of allied troops on their territory.While Mr. Rasmussen left the door open for additional steps, the measures he announced fell well short of appeals by Baltic and Eastern European members for the continuous deployment of allied troops on their territory.