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| Shaky quiet over eastern Ukraine after first day of unity talks | Shaky quiet over eastern Ukraine after first day of unity talks |
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| DONETSK, Ukraine — A shaky quiet fell over eastern Ukraine early Thursday, one day after the first round of talks on Ukrainian national unity broke up amid grandstanding and accusations in the region’s tensest standoff since the Cold War. | DONETSK, Ukraine — A shaky quiet fell over eastern Ukraine early Thursday, one day after the first round of talks on Ukrainian national unity broke up amid grandstanding and accusations in the region’s tensest standoff since the Cold War. |
| The ad hoc talks, not attended by pro-Russian militants, were backed by the West and ostensibly by Russia. Those at the negotiating table included officials from the interim government, religious and business leaders, two former Ukrainian presidents, a German diplomat, as well as some lawmakers and mayors from the east and other regions who are skeptical of the government. | |
| Broadcast live on television, the talks mostly laid bare the gulf between those Ukrainians who support the interim Kiev government and those who do not. They broke up quickly with agreement in principle to hold another round in Donetsk, the capital of a region that pro-Russian separatists have declared a sovereign republic. | |
| Nevertheless, the talks marked the tenuous start of a negotiating process being conducted under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a Vienna-based body that includes the United States, Russia and several European powers. | Nevertheless, the talks marked the tenuous start of a negotiating process being conducted under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a Vienna-based body that includes the United States, Russia and several European powers. |
| An OSCE peace plan calls for both sides to end the violence that has marked by deadly skirmishes between Ukrainian forces and well-armed pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine, the industrial heartland of the country. In return for amnesty, the separatists would have to lay down their arms and end the occupation of government buildings. Both sides would also then engage in negotiations on explosive topics such as the decentralization of power and the legal status of the Russian language. | An OSCE peace plan calls for both sides to end the violence that has marked by deadly skirmishes between Ukrainian forces and well-armed pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine, the industrial heartland of the country. In return for amnesty, the separatists would have to lay down their arms and end the occupation of government buildings. Both sides would also then engage in negotiations on explosive topics such as the decentralization of power and the legal status of the Russian language. |
| It remained doubtful, however, that the pro-Russian separatists would join the fledgling talks even if asked. Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic,” who proclaimed a sovereign country after a chaotic referendum in the region Sunday, expressed wariness that negotiations might be moved to the city. | It remained doubtful, however, that the pro-Russian separatists would join the fledgling talks even if asked. Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic,” who proclaimed a sovereign country after a chaotic referendum in the region Sunday, expressed wariness that negotiations might be moved to the city. |
| “Is it possible? It’s possible,” Pushilin told Russia’s RT television network. “But we have no intentions of taking the first steps in this because we don’t trust Kiev.” He said separatists would be willing to discuss the exchange of hostages and the removal of “occupation forces” from the region. | “Is it possible? It’s possible,” Pushilin told Russia’s RT television network. “But we have no intentions of taking the first steps in this because we don’t trust Kiev.” He said separatists would be willing to discuss the exchange of hostages and the removal of “occupation forces” from the region. |
| In Moscow, officials appeared to soften their stance, at least publicly. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned in an interview with Bloomberg Television that Ukraine was closer than ever to civil war and said that any attempt by its government to join NATO would be “an issue” for Moscow. | In Moscow, officials appeared to soften their stance, at least publicly. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned in an interview with Bloomberg Television that Ukraine was closer than ever to civil war and said that any attempt by its government to join NATO would be “an issue” for Moscow. |
| But he also said that Russia has “no intention” of sending troops into eastern Ukraine, despite Western fears that Moscow will invade after Ukraine’s presidential and mayoral elections, set for May 25. | But he also said that Russia has “no intention” of sending troops into eastern Ukraine, despite Western fears that Moscow will invade after Ukraine’s presidential and mayoral elections, set for May 25. |
| Lavrov spoke at length about Russia’s deep historical and “psychological” ties to Ukraine, even saying that Russians “do not consider [themselves] foreigners” there. But he refused to respond directly to a question about whether Russia would annex more Ukrainian territory, calling the query “hypothetical.” Russia annexed Crimea, an autonomous Ukrainian region, in March after a hastily arranged referendum there. | Lavrov spoke at length about Russia’s deep historical and “psychological” ties to Ukraine, even saying that Russians “do not consider [themselves] foreigners” there. But he refused to respond directly to a question about whether Russia would annex more Ukrainian territory, calling the query “hypothetical.” Russia annexed Crimea, an autonomous Ukrainian region, in March after a hastily arranged referendum there. |
| Meanwhile, adding to the Kiev government’s challenges, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled Thursday that his nation is one step closer to a full gas cutoff to Ukraine, which he said owes Moscow $3.5 billion for gas imports. | |
| Putin’s words, in a letter addressed to European nations, echoed those of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev earlier this week. Putin said circumstances had “forced” Russia to require Ukraine to pre-pay for any gas imports starting June 1. | |
| Russia’s state-backed Gazprom has nearly doubled its gas prices for Ukraine in the midst of the conflict, setting fees for Ukraine higher than in any European Union nation. Europe gets 15 percent of its natural gas from pipelines that pass through Ukraine. | |
| And Putin said Russia “remains open for continuing consultations and actions together with the European countries to stabilize the situation.” | |
| Amid the talks in Kiev, the situation in the east remained tense. Armed men entered the Novokramatorsky machinery plant in Kramatorsk and made off with a heavy construction vehicle, and the pro-Ukrainian head of a school was abducted and later released. Masked gunmen also abducted the head of the district’s voting commission. | |
| A day earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said, six soldiers were killed near Kramatorsk in one of the bloodiest clashes of the conflict. The ministry also said that a militant was killed and four others were wounded in the fighting. Local news media reported that a seventh Ukrainian soldier died of his wounds, but the reports have not been confirmed. | A day earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said, six soldiers were killed near Kramatorsk in one of the bloodiest clashes of the conflict. The ministry also said that a militant was killed and four others were wounded in the fighting. Local news media reported that a seventh Ukrainian soldier died of his wounds, but the reports have not been confirmed. |
| In Kiev, analysts conceded that it was hard to imagine the separatists surrendering their arms without a seat at the negotiating table. Yet resistance to offering them a seat appeared strong. | In Kiev, analysts conceded that it was hard to imagine the separatists surrendering their arms without a seat at the negotiating table. Yet resistance to offering them a seat appeared strong. |
| “We’re ready to discuss questions, but for those who are armed and are trying to fight against their own country, to those who are holding guns and trying to dictate their own will, or, better said, the will of another country, for those we will have other methods,” Oleksandr Turchynov, the acting Ukrainian president, said at the start of the talks. | “We’re ready to discuss questions, but for those who are armed and are trying to fight against their own country, to those who are holding guns and trying to dictate their own will, or, better said, the will of another country, for those we will have other methods,” Oleksandr Turchynov, the acting Ukrainian president, said at the start of the talks. |
| Faiola reported from Kiev, and Deane reported from London. Abigail Hauslohner in Moscow contributed to this report. |