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| Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden tells Moscow 'stop talking, start acting' | Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden tells Moscow 'stop talking, start acting' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US vice president Joe Biden has warned the Kremlin it is time to “stop talking and start acting” in a show of support for the interim government in Kiev. | US vice president Joe Biden has warned the Kremlin it is time to “stop talking and start acting” in a show of support for the interim government in Kiev. |
| In the most high-level visit of a US official since the crisis erupted, Mr Biden said Moscow must "act without delay" to persuade pro-Russian supporters to vacate government buildings and disarm in an effort to de-escalate tensions in eastern Ukraine.Standing alongside Mr Biden, Ukrainian acting prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Russia should honour its international obligations and stop behaving like "gangsters in the modern century". | In the most high-level visit of a US official since the crisis erupted, Mr Biden said Moscow must "act without delay" to persuade pro-Russian supporters to vacate government buildings and disarm in an effort to de-escalate tensions in eastern Ukraine.Standing alongside Mr Biden, Ukrainian acting prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Russia should honour its international obligations and stop behaving like "gangsters in the modern century". |
| Mr Biden insisted Ukraine must "remain one country" and reiterated the United States will never recognise Russia's "illegal" occupation of Crimea, adding that "no nation has the right to simply grab land from another nation". | Mr Biden insisted Ukraine must "remain one country" and reiterated the United States will never recognise Russia's "illegal" occupation of Crimea, adding that "no nation has the right to simply grab land from another nation". |
| Coinciding with his visit to Ukraine, the White House announced it will offer a new $50 million aid package to help the government push forward with economic and political reforms. | Coinciding with his visit to Ukraine, the White House announced it will offer a new $50 million aid package to help the government push forward with economic and political reforms. |
| The US will also provide an additional $11.4 million package "to support the integrity" of the 25 May elections and a further $8 million in non-lethal military aid. The US has already signed a $1 billion loan guarantee to help Ukraine meet its financial obligations. | The US will also provide an additional $11.4 million package "to support the integrity" of the 25 May elections and a further $8 million in non-lethal military aid. The US has already signed a $1 billion loan guarantee to help Ukraine meet its financial obligations. |
| Earlier, Mr Biden met with nine Ukrainian politicians, including three candidates running for president, most notably billionaire chocolate 'king' and front-runner Petro Poroshenko. | Earlier, Mr Biden met with nine Ukrainian politicians, including three candidates running for president, most notably billionaire chocolate 'king' and front-runner Petro Poroshenko. |
| He urged them to seize a historic opportunity to "make good on the promise of the Orange Revolution" and fight the cancer of corruption that is endemic in Ukrainian politics. | |
| "The truth of the matter is your fellow countrymen expect a whole lot from you right now," Mr Biden added. | "The truth of the matter is your fellow countrymen expect a whole lot from you right now," Mr Biden added. |
| His visit comes after a shootout erupted at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian insurgents near the eastern town of Slovyansk in eastern Ukraine, which killed three people and triggered a new round of recriminations between Kiev and Moscow on Sunday. | His visit comes after a shootout erupted at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian insurgents near the eastern town of Slovyansk in eastern Ukraine, which killed three people and triggered a new round of recriminations between Kiev and Moscow on Sunday. |
| While the Ukraine government said it was the fault of provocateurs from outside the country, the Russian foreign ministry placed the blame on so-called Ukrainian nationalists, the Right Sector, which later denied being involved in the shooting. | While the Ukraine government said it was the fault of provocateurs from outside the country, the Russian foreign ministry placed the blame on so-called Ukrainian nationalists, the Right Sector, which later denied being involved in the shooting. |
| In a statement, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov accused Kiev of violating the Geneva accord signed last week, in which all sides agreed to de-escalate the situation and called on the illegal groups of militiamen that have seized government buildings to vacate the premises. | In a statement, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov accused Kiev of violating the Geneva accord signed last week, in which all sides agreed to de-escalate the situation and called on the illegal groups of militiamen that have seized government buildings to vacate the premises. |
| Ukraine officials claim Russia has deployed its special forces to destabilise the volatile region. The 11-page document contains images of soldiers in eastern Ukraine wearing similar uniforms and brandishing Russian weapons. Ukrainian authorities have released a series of photographs in the wake of the Slovyansk shooting , which Kiev officials claim prove that Russian forces are operating in Ukrainian territory. The photos have since been distributed by the US state department. | Ukraine officials claim Russia has deployed its special forces to destabilise the volatile region. The 11-page document contains images of soldiers in eastern Ukraine wearing similar uniforms and brandishing Russian weapons. Ukrainian authorities have released a series of photographs in the wake of the Slovyansk shooting , which Kiev officials claim prove that Russian forces are operating in Ukrainian territory. The photos have since been distributed by the US state department. |
| Ukraine officials handed the documents to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe last week to denounce the presence of Russian troops in government buildings seized by militiamen. | Ukraine officials handed the documents to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe last week to denounce the presence of Russian troops in government buildings seized by militiamen. |
| The 11-page document contains images of soldiers in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine wearing similar uniforms and brandishing Russian weapons. Their authenticity could not be independently verified by The Independent. | The 11-page document contains images of soldiers in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine wearing similar uniforms and brandishing Russian weapons. Their authenticity could not be independently verified by The Independent. |
| One set of photographs focuses on a bearded man who appears to have been photographed in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine this year. He was also photographed in an image taken in Georgia in 2008. Another set of photographs show another militant in eastern Ukraine, and in a family photo of a Russian special forces group. | One set of photographs focuses on a bearded man who appears to have been photographed in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine this year. He was also photographed in an image taken in Georgia in 2008. Another set of photographs show another militant in eastern Ukraine, and in a family photo of a Russian special forces group. |
| The US State Department said the photographs help bolster claims of ties between Russia and armed militiamen in eastern Ukraine. Spokesperson Jen Psaki said the photographs add "further evidence of the connection between Russia and the armed militants." | The US State Department said the photographs help bolster claims of ties between Russia and armed militiamen in eastern Ukraine. Spokesperson Jen Psaki said the photographs add "further evidence of the connection between Russia and the armed militants." |
| Russia has repeatedly denied it has deployed Russian units, special services or instructors in eastern Ukraine. Last Thursday, President Vladimir Putin rejected accusations that Moscow is fomenting unrest in the region. | Russia has repeatedly denied it has deployed Russian units, special services or instructors in eastern Ukraine. Last Thursday, President Vladimir Putin rejected accusations that Moscow is fomenting unrest in the region. |