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Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin 'backs' 25 May election Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin 'backs' 25 May election
(about 1 hour later)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May is a step "in the right direction".Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May is a step "in the right direction".
But he said the vote would decide nothing unless the rights of "all citizens" were protected.But he said the vote would decide nothing unless the rights of "all citizens" were protected.
Mr Putin also urged pro-Russian activists in south-eastern Ukraine to call off a series of independence referendums planned for this weekend.Mr Putin also urged pro-Russian activists in south-eastern Ukraine to call off a series of independence referendums planned for this weekend.
It comes amid high tension between Russia and Kiev, and its allies in the West, over the crisis in Ukraine.It comes amid high tension between Russia and Kiev, and its allies in the West, over the crisis in Ukraine.
Moscow says it will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev. Moscow has said it will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev.
Kiev has rejected pro-Russian activists' demands for greater autonomy, fearing it could lead to the break-up of the country, and has sent in troops in recent weeks to seize back official buildings occupied by rebels.Kiev has rejected pro-Russian activists' demands for greater autonomy, fearing it could lead to the break-up of the country, and has sent in troops in recent weeks to seize back official buildings occupied by rebels.
Earlier on Wednesday, pro-Russian separatists took back the city hall in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol after it was briefly taken over by Ukrainian government forces. Earlier on Wednesday, pro-Russian separatists took back the city hall in the southern port of Mariupol after it was briefly taken over by Ukrainian government forces.
'Conditions for dialogue'
President Putin was speaking after talks in Moscow with Didier Burkhalter, the Swiss president and current chairman of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).President Putin was speaking after talks in Moscow with Didier Burkhalter, the Swiss president and current chairman of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Mr Putin said he had pulled back Russian forces from the border with Ukraine after "we were told constantly about concerns" over their positioning. He said he had appealed for the referendums on greater autonomy planned for 11 May to be postponed "in order that conditions necessary for dialogue are created".
He said the troops were now "in places of regular exercises, at training grounds", but Nato said it had "not seen any significant change to the disposition of troops along the border". The organisers of the referendum in Donetsk - who have prepared some three million ballot papers - said they would meet on Friday to discuss his request.
Mr Putin also said he had appealed for the referendums on greater autonomy planned for 11 May in southern and eastern Ukraine to be postponed "in order that conditions necessary for dialogue are created". On the forthcoming presidential elections, Mr Putin said: "I would like to stress that... while they are a move in the right direction, [they] will not decide anything if all the citizens of Ukraine fail to understand how their rights are protected after the elections are held."
On the forthcoming presidential elections, he said: "I would like to stress that... while they are a move in the right direction, [they] will not decide anything if all the citizens of Ukraine fail to understand how their rights are protected after the elections are held." He also said he had pulled back Russian forces from the border with Ukraine to "places of regular exercises, at training grounds", although Nato said it had "not seen any significant change to the disposition of troops along the border".
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says President Putin is not known for performing u-turns, but his latest comments on Ukraine do suggest a shift in the Kremlin's position. The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says President Putin is not known for performing U-turns, but his latest comments on Ukraine do suggest a shift in the Kremlin's position - which will be treated with some caution by the West.
His spokesman, only a few days ago, had described the idea of holding such an election as "absurd".
Mr Putin's comments will raise hope at least of a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but they will be treated by the West with some caution, our correspondent adds.
Shortly before Mr Putin spoke, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague repeated the West's view that Russia was "trying to orchestrate conflict and provocation" in Ukraine's east and south.Shortly before Mr Putin spoke, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague repeated the West's view that Russia was "trying to orchestrate conflict and provocation" in Ukraine's east and south.
Tensions have been high since Kremlin-backed forces seized control of the Crimean peninsula, which then voted to join Russia in a March referendum that Kiev and the West deemed to be illegal. For a brief time on Wednesday, Ukraine's government forces had control of the city hall in Mariupol, before it was re-seized by pro-Russian activists.
In that time, they arrested 16 activists and took them to the city's police station, leading to a violent confrontation between the detainees' friends and relatives and the security forces who fired shots into the air.
In other developments on Wednesday:
Tensions have been high since Kremlin-backed forces seized control of Crimea, which then voted to join Russia in a March referendum that Kiev and the West deemed to be illegal.
That followed the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February by pro-Western protesters.That followed the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February by pro-Western protesters.