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| John Kerry discusses Ukraine crisis with Russian foreign minister | John Kerry discusses Ukraine crisis with Russian foreign minister |
| (4 months later) | |
| John Kerry has expressed concern about "provocative" Russian troop movements along the border with Ukraine in a phone call to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, according to a US official. | |
| The official said the US secretary of state had also urged Russia to support efforts to free the members of a mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), who are being held in the city of Slavyansk. | The official said the US secretary of state had also urged Russia to support efforts to free the members of a mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), who are being held in the city of Slavyansk. |
| On Saturday the separatist leader Igor Strelkov made his first public appearance in the pro-Russian rebels' de facto capital. In an interview with Russian channels, he described the captured military representatives as "Nato spies". | On Saturday the separatist leader Igor Strelkov made his first public appearance in the pro-Russian rebels' de facto capital. In an interview with Russian channels, he described the captured military representatives as "Nato spies". |
| The Russian foreign ministry said "public structures" controlling parts of south-eastern Ukraine had not been properly informed of the observers' plans to travel there. | The Russian foreign ministry said "public structures" controlling parts of south-eastern Ukraine had not been properly informed of the observers' plans to travel there. |
| The ministry also said Lavrov had told Kerry that Ukraine must stop military operations in the south-east, and urged the US to use its influence to secure the release of leaders of the pro-Russian "protest movement" in south-eastern Ukraine. | The ministry also said Lavrov had told Kerry that Ukraine must stop military operations in the south-east, and urged the US to use its influence to secure the release of leaders of the pro-Russian "protest movement" in south-eastern Ukraine. |
| Kerry "expressed continued concern that Russia's provocative troop movements on Ukraine's border, its support for separatists and its inflammatory rhetoric are undermining stability, security and unity in Ukraine," the senior state department official said. | Kerry "expressed continued concern that Russia's provocative troop movements on Ukraine's border, its support for separatists and its inflammatory rhetoric are undermining stability, security and unity in Ukraine," the senior state department official said. |
| He also "urged Russian support without preconditions for the efforts of the OSCE and the government of Ukraine to liberate the Vienna Document [OSCE] inspectors and their Ukrainian guides who are being held hostage by pro-Russian separatists in Slovyansk." | He also "urged Russian support without preconditions for the efforts of the OSCE and the government of Ukraine to liberate the Vienna Document [OSCE] inspectors and their Ukrainian guides who are being held hostage by pro-Russian separatists in Slovyansk." |
| Kerry's comments came as the Group of Seven top economies and the European Union signalled they would step up economic pressure on Moscow early next week, amid fears Russia is preparing an invasion of eastern Ukraine. | Kerry's comments came as the Group of Seven top economies and the European Union signalled they would step up economic pressure on Moscow early next week, amid fears Russia is preparing an invasion of eastern Ukraine. |
| The US president, Barack Obama, said on Sunday that it was necessary to send a message to Russia that its “destabilizing” actions in eastern and southern Ukraine must stop. | |
| Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Malaysia, Obama said any decision on whether to slap “sectoral” sanctions on the Russian economy would depend on whether the US and its allies could agree. The next round of sanctions, which could be unveiled as early as Monday, are expected to target Russian individuals. | |
| The Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in Italy to visit the pope and the prime minister, Mateo Renzi, claimed Russia violated his country's airspace seven times overnight, with an aim "to provoke" it into starting a war. | The Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in Italy to visit the pope and the prime minister, Mateo Renzi, claimed Russia violated his country's airspace seven times overnight, with an aim "to provoke" it into starting a war. |
| Moscow denied any transgression by its warplanes, with Lavrov calling for "urgent measures" to de-escalate the crisis that has plunged east-west relations to their lowest point since the cold war. | Moscow denied any transgression by its warplanes, with Lavrov calling for "urgent measures" to de-escalate the crisis that has plunged east-west relations to their lowest point since the cold war. |
| Pope Francis gave Yatsenyuk a fountain pen, telling him: "I hope that you write 'peace' with this pen." | Pope Francis gave Yatsenyuk a fountain pen, telling him: "I hope that you write 'peace' with this pen." |
| Yatsenyuk replied: "I hope so, too." | Yatsenyuk replied: "I hope so, too." |