This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-foreign-ministers-decide-on-steps-to-ease-tensions-9268412.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Ukraine crisis: Foreign Ministers decide on steps to ease tensions Ukraine crisis: Foreign Ministers decide on steps to ease tensions as Vladimir Putin defends Russia's right to bear arms
(35 minutes later)
The foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union have issued a joint statement outlining immediate steps “to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens” in Ukraine, following seven hours of talks in Geneva on Thursday. Russia, the United States and the European Union have announced a tentative deal to pull Ukraine back from the brink of a violent break up, but in a bullish statement just hours earlier President Vladimir Putin insisted he still had a right to send troops into the country.
It means that, for now at least, the West will not impose a further wave of economic sanctions against Russia, therefore easing international pressure on Moscow and the EU nations that depend on Russia for their energy.  Relations between Russia and the West are at their frostiest since the Cold War, with US and European politicians openly accusing Moscow of orchestrating the armed separatist uprisings breaking out across eastern Ukraine. All sides issued a joint statement calling on the groups to disarm, but the US was clear that the onus was on Russia to act quickly or face the debilitating economic sanctions they have been threatening for weeks.
US Secretary of State John Kerry called the deal the result of a “good day's work” but he said concrete action must follow the marathon talks. “We fully expect the Russians to demonstrate their seriousness by insisting that the pro-Russian separatists they have been supporting lay down their arms, leave the buildings and pursue their political objectives through the constitutional processes,” the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said in Geneva after a day of talks with his EU, Ukrainian and Russian counterparts. “If we’re not able to see progress on efforts to implement the principle of the agreement this weekend, then we will have no choice but to impose further costs on Russia.”
“It is important that these words are translated immediately into actions,” Kerry said at a news briefing. Mr Kerry also expressed concern about reports that Jewish people in one Ukrainian city had received notes asking them to identify themselves to pro-Russians. Local press reported leaflets being handed out around a synagogue in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine demanding that the city’s Jews provide a list of property they own and pay a registration fee “or else have their citizenship revoked”.
“None of us leaves here with a sense that the job is done because of words on a paper.” His Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, commended the deal but denied any accusations that the Kremlin was behind the recent unrest. “We have no wish to insert our military forces into Ukraine,” he said. The ministers also agreed an amnesty for most of the separatist protesters and an increased role for a monitoring mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
And he warned Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Moscow would soon face sanctions if it did not follow through on its commitments under the agreement. The announcement came hours after Mr Putin’s annual question-and-answer session with the Russian public, in which he said he had the right to send troops into Ukraine and poured scorn on threats from the West to impose sanctions on Moscow.
The agreement requires all sides to refrain from violence, intimidation or provocative actions. It states that all illegally armed groups must lay down their weapons and government buildings taken over by pro-Russian separatists must be given back to the authorities. There were also some conciliatory notes, with the President calling the Geneva negotiations “very important”. But his televised comments were laced with derision for European and American foreign policy. Mr Putin said claims that he was behind the unrest in Ukraine were “nonsense”, and reminded the world that Russian parliament had on 1 March authorised him to send troops into Ukraine if ethnic Russians were attacked.
It also gives amnesty to protesters who comply with the demands, except those found guilty of capital crimes. “The Federation Council granted the President the right to use military force in Ukraine. I really hope that I do not have to exercise this right and that we are able to solve all today’s pressing issues via political and diplomatic means,” he said. “We must do everything to help these people [in eastern Ukraine] defend their rights and independently determine their own destiny.”
The Ukrainian authorities and local communities are to be assisted by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, with the full support of the US, the EU and Russia. Asked about Transdniestria, a breakaway region of Moldova which Russia protects but has not tried to draw into its territory, Mr Putin said that “people should be allowed to determine their own destiny” – words that may concern some of Russia’s neighbours.
The statement said Kiev's plans to reform its constitution must be “inclusive, transparent and accountable.” Nato members close to Russian borders have been calling for more military assistance in light of events in Crimea, which followed the ousting of the pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych. The US also announced that it was sending non-lethal military support to the Ukrainian authorities.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted Russia’s “right” to invade Ukraine during a live phone-in. Mr Putin was scathing of efforts so far to chastise Russia for the annexation of Crimea. Dozens of Russian and Ukrainian officials have been subjected to asset freezes and travel bans, and the EU and US have threatened to expand those lists or move on to the next stage of deeper economic sanctions if Russia does not make good on its promises.
The Russian leader argued the country had been forced to respond to Nato enlargement and that its annexation of Crimea was partly influenced by the Western military alliance's expansion into eastern Europe. Asked about the sanctions, Mr Putin said that the EU would not be able to manage without Russian gas. “They badly want to bite us, but their opportunities are limited,” he said. “If they try to punish us by putting us into a corner on our knees like naughty children, they will cut the branch they are sitting on.”
But he added that he remained hopeful diplomacy would instead resolve the crisis.
Here is the statement from the Geneva meeting in full:
“The Geneva meeting on the situation in Ukraine agreed on initial concrete steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens.
“All sides must refrain from any violence, intimidation or provocative actions. The participants strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-semitism.
“All illegal armed groups must be disarmed; all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners; all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated.
“Amnesty will be granted to protesters and to those who have left buildings and other public places and surrendered weapons, with the exception of those found guilty of capital crimes.
“It was agreed that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission should play a leading role in assisting Ukrainian authorities and local communities in the immediate implementation of these de-escalation measures wherever they are needed most, beginning in the coming days. The U.S., E.U. and Russia commit to support this mission, including by providing monitors.
“The announced constitutional process will be inclusive, transparent and accountable. It will include the immediate establishment of a broad national dialogue, with outreach to all of Ukraine's regions and political constituencies, and allow for the consideration of public comments and proposed amendments.
“The participants underlined the importance of economic and financial stability in Ukraine and would be ready to discuss additional support as the above steps are implemented.”
Additional reporting by agencies