Photograph by UP9
Foreign ministers from Russia, US, and key European states are holding talks in an attempt to diffuse the tension in Ukraine and bring an end to the military intervention in Crimea.
As the diplomats talk, pro-Russian forces continue to besiege Ukrainian governmental and military buildings in Crimea, with tensions remaining high.
The US wants independent observers in Crimea and direct talks between the Moscow and Kiev, but the Russian’s believe the government in Kiev to be illegitimate after the ousting of democratically elected Viktor Yanukovych.
Washington has threatened Russia with removing it from the G8 and imposing sanctions if it does not retreat from Crimea, but European nations have been less forthcoming with support for such actions. France has major defence contracts with Russia, Germany fears losing energy supplies from Russia, and the UK fears losing important Russian investment, meaning that none of Europe’s three biggest economies are looking to provoke Vladimir Putin.
Following a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and interim Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia in Paris today, Foreign Secretary William Hague said:
Today we are trying to use every diplomatic opportunity to bring Russia and Ukraine into direct contact with each other at a senior level to make sure that the governments of Russia and Ukraine are talking to each other, which the Russians have not been prepared to do at a senior level in recent days.
We will make further attempts at this afternoon, and we’ve held a meeting this morning under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum – this is the agreement signed by Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ukraine in 1994 to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine; not to use armed force against Ukraine.
UN special representative, Robert Serry, was held by armed gunmen in a coffee shop in Crimea, before finally being able to flee, travelling directly to the airport in a waiting car to chants of “Putin! Putin!” according to ITV News Europe Editor James Mates.
As the political stand-off continues, Ukraine’s economy remains in crisis, and needs an estimated $35 billion rescue package.
Earlier, the EU offered a €18 billion (£9 billion) of loans and grants available to Ukraine over the next two years, designed to assist democratic reforms in Kiev.
