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| Obama cautious over deal to ease Ukraine crisis | Obama cautious over deal to ease Ukraine crisis |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has cautiously welcomed a deal to calm tensions in Ukraine, reached at multi-party talks in Geneva. | US President Barack Obama has cautiously welcomed a deal to calm tensions in Ukraine, reached at multi-party talks in Geneva. |
| He said the US and its allies were ready to impose new sanctions on Russia if the situation failed to improve. | He said the US and its allies were ready to impose new sanctions on Russia if the situation failed to improve. |
| Russian, Ukrainian, EU and US foreign ministers agreed that illegal military groups in Ukraine should leave places they have been occupying. | Russian, Ukrainian, EU and US foreign ministers agreed that illegal military groups in Ukraine should leave places they have been occupying. |
| Russia denies fomenting separatism in eastern and southern Ukraine. | Russia denies fomenting separatism in eastern and southern Ukraine. |
| Government buildings in several towns and cities have been seized by pro-Russian separatists opposed to new Western-leaning interim authorities in the capital Kiev. | Government buildings in several towns and cities have been seized by pro-Russian separatists opposed to new Western-leaning interim authorities in the capital Kiev. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry called Thursday's talks a "good day's work", but said words had to be turned into actions. | US Secretary of State John Kerry called Thursday's talks a "good day's work", but said words had to be turned into actions. |
| All sides agreed that illegal military groups in Ukraine must be dissolved, and that those occupying buildings must be disarmed and leave them. | All sides agreed that illegal military groups in Ukraine must be dissolved, and that those occupying buildings must be disarmed and leave them. |
| The foreign ministers also agreed that there would be an amnesty for all anti-government protesters. | The foreign ministers also agreed that there would be an amnesty for all anti-government protesters. |
| US-UK resolve | US-UK resolve |
| But speaking in Washington just hours later, President Obama expressed scepticism as to whether Russia would keep its side of the bargain. | But speaking in Washington just hours later, President Obama expressed scepticism as to whether Russia would keep its side of the bargain. |
| "My hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several days, but I don't think, given past performance, that we can count on that," he said. | "My hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several days, but I don't think, given past performance, that we can count on that," he said. |
| "We have to be prepared that we can actually respond to what continue to be efforts of interference by the Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine," he added. | "We have to be prepared that we can actually respond to what continue to be efforts of interference by the Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine," he added. |
| In a telephone call with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, the two leaders agreed that the United States and Europe are prepared to take further measures to impose a new round of sanctions if Russia failed to help restore order. | In a telephone call with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, the two leaders agreed that the United States and Europe are prepared to take further measures to impose a new round of sanctions if Russia failed to help restore order. |
| "We have put in place additional consequences that we can impose on the Russians if we do not see actual improvement of the situation on the ground," Mr Obama said. | "We have put in place additional consequences that we can impose on the Russians if we do not see actual improvement of the situation on the ground," Mr Obama said. |
| The UK is to provide an additional £1m to support the expansion of the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine. | |
| Washington and the EU have already imposed sanctions on key Russian and Ukrainian political and business officials. | Washington and the EU have already imposed sanctions on key Russian and Ukrainian political and business officials. |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was encouraged by the outcome of the talks and that he expected all sides to "show their serious intention" to implement the agreement. | UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was encouraged by the outcome of the talks and that he expected all sides to "show their serious intention" to implement the agreement. |
| Correspondents say the deal has so far had little impact on the ground, with pro-Russian supporters continuing to occupy government buildings. | Correspondents say the deal has so far had little impact on the ground, with pro-Russian supporters continuing to occupy government buildings. |
| One protest leader in Donetsk said they would not leave unless pro-European demonstrators in Kiev's Maidan Square packed up their camp first. | One protest leader in Donetsk said they would not leave unless pro-European demonstrators in Kiev's Maidan Square packed up their camp first. |
| Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped he would not have to use his "right" to send Russian forces into Ukraine. | Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped he would not have to use his "right" to send Russian forces into Ukraine. |
| Clashes | Clashes |
| Moscow is believed to have thousands of troops massed along the border with its neighbour. | Moscow is believed to have thousands of troops massed along the border with its neighbour. |
| "I very much hope that I am not obliged to use this right and that through political and diplomatic means we can solve all the acute problems in Ukraine," he said. | "I very much hope that I am not obliged to use this right and that through political and diplomatic means we can solve all the acute problems in Ukraine," he said. |
| He was speaking after Wednesday night's clash in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, in which three separatists were reportedly killed by Ukrainian security forces after hundreds of pro-Russians attacked a military base. | He was speaking after Wednesday night's clash in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, in which three separatists were reportedly killed by Ukrainian security forces after hundreds of pro-Russians attacked a military base. |
| Ukraine has been in crisis since pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was toppled in February. | Ukraine has been in crisis since pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was toppled in February. |
| Russia then annexed the Crimean peninsula - part of Ukraine but with a Russian-speaking majority - in a move that provoked international outrage. | Russia then annexed the Crimean peninsula - part of Ukraine but with a Russian-speaking majority - in a move that provoked international outrage. |
| This was followed by the seizing of government buildings in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists opposed to the new order in Kiev. | This was followed by the seizing of government buildings in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists opposed to the new order in Kiev. |