This article is from the source 'nytimes' 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.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/world/europe/ukraine-russia.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pro-Russia Militant Leader Balks at Terms of Ukraine Pact | Pro-Russia Militant Leader Balks at Terms of Ukraine Pact |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DONETSK, Ukraine — The leader of a group of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine said he would ignore the international agreement reached in Geneva on Thursday to de-escalate the crisis in the country because his representatives were not at the talks. | DONETSK, Ukraine — The leader of a group of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine said he would ignore the international agreement reached in Geneva on Thursday to de-escalate the crisis in the country because his representatives were not at the talks. |
| The agreement, announced by the United States, Russia, the European Union and Ukraine, called for all protesters to vacate the buildings they have occupied and lay down their arms. But Denis Pushilin, the leader of a group that seized government buildings in Donetsk, a regional capital in the east, and declared an independent People’s Republic of Donetsk that no nation has recognized, told reporters on Friday that his followers would not comply until the interim government in Kiev resigned. He repeated his group’s demand for a referendum on the region’s future, similar to the one that preceded the annexation of Crimea by Russia last month. | The agreement, announced by the United States, Russia, the European Union and Ukraine, called for all protesters to vacate the buildings they have occupied and lay down their arms. But Denis Pushilin, the leader of a group that seized government buildings in Donetsk, a regional capital in the east, and declared an independent People’s Republic of Donetsk that no nation has recognized, told reporters on Friday that his followers would not comply until the interim government in Kiev resigned. He repeated his group’s demand for a referendum on the region’s future, similar to the one that preceded the annexation of Crimea by Russia last month. |
| Mr. Pushilin’s group is only one of many groups of pro-Russian militants that have seized buldings and arms in the east, and it was not immediately clear whether others would follow his line. But his rejection highlighted a critical hole in the Geneva agreement. | Mr. Pushilin’s group is only one of many groups of pro-Russian militants that have seized buldings and arms in the east, and it was not immediately clear whether others would follow his line. But his rejection highlighted a critical hole in the Geneva agreement. |
| Russia “did not sign anything for us,” Mr. Pushilin said at a news conference in Donetsk. | Russia “did not sign anything for us,” Mr. Pushilin said at a news conference in Donetsk. |
| There was no immediate official reaction from the Kremlin. | There was no immediate official reaction from the Kremlin. |
| Mr. Pushilin said he did not consider the new government in Kiev to be legitimate, and that if illegally occupied buildings are to be relinquished, then its officials, including the president, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, should vacate the presidential administration building in the capital. | |
| The central government has not pulled military forces back from a town north of here, Slovyansk, that was seized by pro-Russian separatists a week ago. Mr. Pushilin said Kiev would use the Geneva agreement to stall on promised constitutional reform to grant eastern Ukrainian regions greater autonomy. | The central government has not pulled military forces back from a town north of here, Slovyansk, that was seized by pro-Russian separatists a week ago. Mr. Pushilin said Kiev would use the Geneva agreement to stall on promised constitutional reform to grant eastern Ukrainian regions greater autonomy. |
| The Ukrainian authorities signaled on Friday that they were moving ahead with one provision of the Geneva agreement. Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk told the Parliament on Friday morning that the government had drafted a law offering amnesty to protesters who leave occupied government buildings and lay down arms, The Associated Press reported. | The Ukrainian authorities signaled on Friday that they were moving ahead with one provision of the Geneva agreement. Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk told the Parliament on Friday morning that the government had drafted a law offering amnesty to protesters who leave occupied government buildings and lay down arms, The Associated Press reported. |
| The diplomatic accord reached on Thursday, while limited in scope, represented the first time Russia and Ukraine had found common ground since protests toppled a pro-Moscow government in Kiev, leading the Kremlin to annex the Crimean Peninsula and threaten other parts of Ukraine with 40,000 troops on its border. The deal came hours after Ukrainian security forces killed three pro-Russian activists in a firefight. | The diplomatic accord reached on Thursday, while limited in scope, represented the first time Russia and Ukraine had found common ground since protests toppled a pro-Moscow government in Kiev, leading the Kremlin to annex the Crimean Peninsula and threaten other parts of Ukraine with 40,000 troops on its border. The deal came hours after Ukrainian security forces killed three pro-Russian activists in a firefight. |
| But neither President Obama in Washington nor President Vladimir V. Putin in Moscow signaled that the crisis over Ukraine was over. During a long, televised question-and-answer session before the agreement was announced, Mr. Putin asserted historic claims over Ukrainian territory and the right to send in Russian troops. | But neither President Obama in Washington nor President Vladimir V. Putin in Moscow signaled that the crisis over Ukraine was over. During a long, televised question-and-answer session before the agreement was announced, Mr. Putin asserted historic claims over Ukrainian territory and the right to send in Russian troops. |
| Speaking after the agreement was announced, Mr. Obama sounded a skeptical note, saying it offered “a glimmer of hope,” but “we’re not going to count on it,” and adding that the United States would take more punitive action if Russia did not abide by its terms. | Speaking after the agreement was announced, Mr. Obama sounded a skeptical note, saying it offered “a glimmer of hope,” but “we’re not going to count on it,” and adding that the United States would take more punitive action if Russia did not abide by its terms. |
| “My hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several days,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House, “but I don’t think, given past performance, that we can count on that, and we have to be prepared to potentially respond to what continue to be efforts of interference by the Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine.” | “My hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several days,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House, “but I don’t think, given past performance, that we can count on that, and we have to be prepared to potentially respond to what continue to be efforts of interference by the Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine.” |
| Mr. Obama did not outline what those measures might be, but aides said that the White House had assembled a list of more Russian figures and institutions to sanction if Russia did not pull back and the situation in Ukraine continued to worsen. The president does not plan to impose more stringent measures against whole sectors of the Russian economy unless Moscow sends in troops or otherwise takes more drastic steps, aides said, a recognition of resistance in Europe, which is more tied economically to Russia. | Mr. Obama did not outline what those measures might be, but aides said that the White House had assembled a list of more Russian figures and institutions to sanction if Russia did not pull back and the situation in Ukraine continued to worsen. The president does not plan to impose more stringent measures against whole sectors of the Russian economy unless Moscow sends in troops or otherwise takes more drastic steps, aides said, a recognition of resistance in Europe, which is more tied economically to Russia. |
| Hoping to coordinate a future response with European leaders, Mr. Obama spoke by telephone with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain on Thursday. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. called Slovakia’s prime minister for the second time in recent days to press him to help reverse the flow of a natural gas pipeline to reduce Ukraine’s reliance on Russian energy. | Hoping to coordinate a future response with European leaders, Mr. Obama spoke by telephone with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain on Thursday. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. called Slovakia’s prime minister for the second time in recent days to press him to help reverse the flow of a natural gas pipeline to reduce Ukraine’s reliance on Russian energy. |
| Tension on the ground continued to mount in the hours before the Geneva agreement was announced. Pro-Russian protesters tried to storm a Ukrainian base in the eastern city of Mariupol, prompting a firefight that left three of the activists dead, 13 wounded and 63 captured, according to Ukraine’s interim interior minister. In Donetsk, fliers appeared ordering Jews to register with the authorities. | Tension on the ground continued to mount in the hours before the Geneva agreement was announced. Pro-Russian protesters tried to storm a Ukrainian base in the eastern city of Mariupol, prompting a firefight that left three of the activists dead, 13 wounded and 63 captured, according to Ukraine’s interim interior minister. In Donetsk, fliers appeared ordering Jews to register with the authorities. |
| The Geneva agreement — hammered out during six hours of talks by Secretary of State John Kerry; Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia; Andrii Deshchytsia, the interim Ukrainian foreign minister; and Catherine Ashton, the foreign policy chief for the European Union — called on all sides in Ukraine to refrain from violence or provocative behavior and rejected all forms of intolerance, including anti-Semitism. | The Geneva agreement — hammered out during six hours of talks by Secretary of State John Kerry; Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia; Andrii Deshchytsia, the interim Ukrainian foreign minister; and Catherine Ashton, the foreign policy chief for the European Union — called on all sides in Ukraine to refrain from violence or provocative behavior and rejected all forms of intolerance, including anti-Semitism. |
| “All illegal armed groups must be disarmed,” the joint statement said. “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.” | “All illegal armed groups must be disarmed,” the joint statement said. “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.” |
| In exchange, the interim Ukrainian government agreed to grant amnesty to protesters who leave the government buildings they have occupied and give up their arms, unless they are suspected of murder or other capital crimes. The Kiev government would also ensure that constitutional revisions involve “outreach to all of Ukraine’s regions and political constituencies,” a reference to Russian speakers in the eastern part of the country. | In exchange, the interim Ukrainian government agreed to grant amnesty to protesters who leave the government buildings they have occupied and give up their arms, unless they are suspected of murder or other capital crimes. The Kiev government would also ensure that constitutional revisions involve “outreach to all of Ukraine’s regions and political constituencies,” a reference to Russian speakers in the eastern part of the country. |
| But the agreement was as notable for what it did not address as for what it did. It did not require Russia to remove its troops from the border, nor did it commit Moscow to hold direct talks with Ukrainian officials, two of Mr. Obama’s demands. Moreover, the agreement made no mention of Russia’s seizure and annexation of Crimea, an action deemed unacceptable by the United States and Europe and yet unlikely to be reversed, at least in the foreseeable future, Western officials have acknowledged privately. | But the agreement was as notable for what it did not address as for what it did. It did not require Russia to remove its troops from the border, nor did it commit Moscow to hold direct talks with Ukrainian officials, two of Mr. Obama’s demands. Moreover, the agreement made no mention of Russia’s seizure and annexation of Crimea, an action deemed unacceptable by the United States and Europe and yet unlikely to be reversed, at least in the foreseeable future, Western officials have acknowledged privately. |
| “None of us leave here with the sense that the job is done,” Mr. Kerry said afterward. “We do not envision this as the full measure of de-escalation.” | “None of us leave here with the sense that the job is done,” Mr. Kerry said afterward. “We do not envision this as the full measure of de-escalation.” |
| But he called the measures an important first step to avert “a complete and total implosion” in eastern Ukraine and said they could lead to more far-reaching moves to resolve the conflict. | But he called the measures an important first step to avert “a complete and total implosion” in eastern Ukraine and said they could lead to more far-reaching moves to resolve the conflict. |
| In response to a question, Mr. Kerry insisted that the United States had not dropped objections to Russia’s annexation of Crimea but acknowledged that it had not been the focus of the meeting. “We didn’t come here to talk about Crimea,” he said. | In response to a question, Mr. Kerry insisted that the United States had not dropped objections to Russia’s annexation of Crimea but acknowledged that it had not been the focus of the meeting. “We didn’t come here to talk about Crimea,” he said. |
| Mr. Obama said Ukraine’s government presented a “detailed and thorough presentation” of overhauls it would make and went “out of its way to address a range of the concerns” expressed by Russians. Now it was time for Russia to “use the influence that they’ve exerted in a disruptive way” to give Ukraine a chance to hold elections and stabilize its economy. | Mr. Obama said Ukraine’s government presented a “detailed and thorough presentation” of overhauls it would make and went “out of its way to address a range of the concerns” expressed by Russians. Now it was time for Russia to “use the influence that they’ve exerted in a disruptive way” to give Ukraine a chance to hold elections and stabilize its economy. |
| But Mr. Lavrov put the onus on the authorities in Kiev, saying that the deal was “largely based on compromise” and that a broader settlement of the crisis was primarily Ukraine’s responsibility. | But Mr. Lavrov put the onus on the authorities in Kiev, saying that the deal was “largely based on compromise” and that a broader settlement of the crisis was primarily Ukraine’s responsibility. |
| The talks were held at the same luxury hotel where five years ago Mr. Kerry’s predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, presented Mr. Lavrov with a red “reset” button intended to signal a fresh start in Russian-American relations, a gesture marred at the time by a mistranslation and mocked since as a symbol of a failed foreign policy. | The talks were held at the same luxury hotel where five years ago Mr. Kerry’s predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, presented Mr. Lavrov with a red “reset” button intended to signal a fresh start in Russian-American relations, a gesture marred at the time by a mistranslation and mocked since as a symbol of a failed foreign policy. |
| In Germany, the European country with the closest ties to Russia, the agreement was received with palpable relief. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the foreign minister, said the agreement was “a first step, and many more must now follow,” but he seemed clearly content that “diplomacy now has a chance.” | In Germany, the European country with the closest ties to Russia, the agreement was received with palpable relief. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the foreign minister, said the agreement was “a first step, and many more must now follow,” but he seemed clearly content that “diplomacy now has a chance.” |
| The firefight in Mariupol on Thursday was the deadliest in eastern Ukraine since the crisis began. According to Ukrainian authorities, attackers threw firebombs and opened fire on perimeter guards at a base used by the newly formed National Guard, which has drawn volunteers who took part in last winter’s protest movement against the old pro-Moscow government. About 300 people were in the crowd. | The firefight in Mariupol on Thursday was the deadliest in eastern Ukraine since the crisis began. According to Ukrainian authorities, attackers threw firebombs and opened fire on perimeter guards at a base used by the newly formed National Guard, which has drawn volunteers who took part in last winter’s protest movement against the old pro-Moscow government. About 300 people were in the crowd. |
| “After warnings, in accordance with our rules, and after repeat attacks, we opened lethal fire,” Arsen Avakov, the interim interior minister, said in a statement. | “After warnings, in accordance with our rules, and after repeat attacks, we opened lethal fire,” Arsen Avakov, the interim interior minister, said in a statement. |