US calls on Russia to withdraw forces from Ukraine.
President Barack Obama on Saturday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the tense atmosphere in Ukraine by pulling his forces back to bases in the country's Crimean region and to refrain from interfering elsewhere in the former Soviet republic.
Obama delivered the message to Putin during a 90-minute telephone conversation, the White House said.
But Obama's request appeared likely to go unheeded as the Kremlin said Putin, in turn, emphasized to Obama the existence of real threats to the life and health of Russian citizens living in Ukraine and that Russia has the right to protect its interests there.
Russian troops took over Crimea as the Russian parliament on Saturday granted Putin authority to use the military to protect Russian interests in Ukraine.
Ukraine's newly installed government was powerless to react to the swarm of Russian troops.
"President Obama expressed his deep concern over Russia's clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity," the White House said in a statement that called the action "a breach of international law."
Hours earlier, Obama's national security team huddled at the White House to get updates on the situation and discuss policy options. Obama did not participate. Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry participated by videoconference.
"The United States condemns Russia's military intervention into Ukrainian territory," the White House said.
Obama also discussed the situation with French President Francois Hollande and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by telephone with his Russian counterpart and stressed that, "without a change on the ground," Russia risks further instability in the region, isolation in the international community and an escalation that would threaten European and international security, the Pentagon said.
But a defiant-sounding statement from Moscow said Putin stressed to Obama that the situation in Ukraine poses "real threats" to the life and health of Russian citizens and compatriots who live in Ukrainian territory.
"Vladimir Putin emphasized that, in the case of a further spread in violence in eastern regions (of Ukraine) and Crimea, Russia maintains the right to protect its interests and the Russian-speaking population that lives there," the Kremlin said.
Obama told Putin that the appropriate way to address concerns about the treatment of ethnic Russian and minority populations in Ukraine is to do so peacefully through direct contact with Ukraine's new government and through international observers.
He said the U.S. was prepared to help mediate such a dialogue.
Obama also made clear that Russia's continued violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would have a negative effect on Russia's standing in the eyes of the world.
Obama said Friday in a televised statement from the White House that "there will be costs" to Russia for military intervention in Ukraine. But Obama and the European allies he has pledged to consult with regularly on this issue have limited options.
Putin has so far dismissed the few specific threats from the United States. The U.S. and Europe are not obligated to come to Ukraine's defense because it does not have full-member status in NATO, while broader international action through the United Nations seems all but impossible because of Russia's veto power as a member of the Security Council.
Administration officials had said on Friday that Obama might retaliate by canceling a trip to Russia in June to attend the Group of Eight international economic summit and could also cut off trade talks with Moscow.
The White House said Saturday that the U.S. will suspend upcoming participation in "preparatory meetings" for the summit, which is being planned for the Black Sea resort of Sochi, site of the just-completed Winter Olympics.
Political turmoil in Ukraine pushed President Viktor Yanukovych from office following massive pro-democracy protests after he rejected a partnership agreement with the European Union in favor of deepening his country's historical ties with Moscow.
Yanukovych held a news conference in southern Russia on Friday in which he said he was not asking Moscow for military assistance and called military action "unacceptable." Yanukovych, who still considers himself Ukraine's president, also vowed to "keep fighting for the future of Ukraine" and blamed the U.S. and the West for encouraging the rebellion that forced him to flee last weekend.
The EU agreement Yanukovych rejected would have paved the way for Ukraine's greater integration with the West, including potential affiliation with NATO. Russia strongly objects to NATO membership for former Warsaw Pact members and Soviet republics.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/us-calls-russia-withdraw-forces-ukraine-223319964--politics.html#DBh7Fbz
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Ukraine asks UN council: Stop Russian 'aggression'
Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations asked an emergency session of the Security Council on Saturday "to do everything possible now" to stop Russian "aggression" as Russian troops took over the strategic Crimea region.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call to "urgently engage in direct dialogue with the authorities" in Kiev.
Calling the situation in Ukraine "as dangerous as it is destabilizing," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power told the council, "It is time for the Russian military intervention in Ukraine to end."
Power and other members of the council called for sending international monitors to Ukraine as soon as possible to observe the situation, and Power warned that "Russia's provocative actions could easily push the situation beyond the breaking point." She also mentioned work on an international mediation mission to send to Ukraine.
The Security Council met in emergency session for the second straight day on the rapidly developing events in Ukraine. It met briefly in an open, televised session, despite initial objections from Russia, then resumed meeting behind closed doors.
The council took no action. As a permanent member of the council, Russia has veto power and can block the U.N.'s most powerful body from adopting any resolution criticizing or sanctioning Moscow.
But the current council president, Luxembourg Ambassador Sylvie Lucas, said members stressed the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity and the need to lower tensions, in addition to the need for international monitors.
Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said the new government in Kiev needs to get away from "radicals" and warned, "such actions they're taking could lead to very difficult developments, which the Russian Federation is trying to avoid."
Russia has given refuge to Ukraine's now-fugitive president, Viktor Yanukovych, who fled after demonstrations turned violent amid tensions over his decision to turn Ukraine toward Russia, its longtime patron, instead of the European Union.
Churkin said Russia was intervening at the request of pro-Russian authorities in the semi-autonomous Crimea, which is largely Russian-speaking and is home to Russia's Black Sea navy fleet.
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, who called for Saturday's meeting, told reporters after the meeting that 'there is no justification for Russia's military activities in the last 48 hours."
Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson called the situation in Ukraine "very difficult and very dangerous" and said they were seeing "negative signs, serious signs, risks of escalation."
Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Yuriy Sergeyev, asked the other four permanent Security Council members — the U.S., Britain, France and China — for help in stopping Russia's "aggression."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-asks-un-council-stop-russian-aggression-002201143.html#H9yJVXI
When we have a semi-autonomous region with more than 50% of the population being Russians or related to Russians in some way, it's obvious that Russia can act to "defend their citizens", in the same way all other countries do.
What hasn't been much publicized in the news is the fact that the new Ukrainian government is not recognised in the whole country, including Crimea.
Ukraine has a right to ask for help in defending
its sovereignty, and that would land the problem
back with Russia.
Is Russia going to fight
other peaceful nations in an invasion?
Quote from: burntheships on March 02, 2014, 01:10:32 AM
Ukraine has a right to ask for help in defending
its sovereignty, and that would land the problem
back with Russia.
That depends, part of Ukraine asked help from Russia.
The problem is that Ukraine is divided in two parts, the eastern part being more closely related to Russia than the western part.
On the day after the escape of Yanukovich (I hope I that's the right spelling), the people on the eastern part of the country started to make barricades to defend themselves from the people that were responsible for the fall of the government, as they were afraid of being "invaded" by those forces.
@ArMaP,
Yes I guess I should have said the part that asked for help.
In any case, Russian markets are plunging,
and the U.S. just suspended all Military operations
with Russia.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/04/us-ukraine-crisis-usa-pentagon-idUSBREA2302W20140304
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABREA1Q1E820140304
Ukraine is a nation split. Western Ukraine has a roughly 10% Russian minority(who speak Russian as a first language) who lean very vocally pro-Russian. The east leans west. The government is a MF Freaking mess and without leadership. And Russia has a very vested military interest in so far that it has it's Baltic fleet port(s) in Ukraine coast.(with treaties in place) Russia is NOT letting those ports go. Period. They are watching a nation spin apart and want to defend their ($$$) assets in that nation. Entirely understandable.
I'm not pro-Russia on this. But I understand their position. They have major money vested in the Ukraine and it's spinning apart. Government connections are gone. Diplomatic connections are down. middle level management is freaking out and making bad decisions and pulling down top tier management. The top has lost control.
Quote from: WarToad on March 04, 2014, 01:42:31 AM
Ukraine is a nation split. Western Ukraine has a roughly 10% Russian minority(who The government is a MF Freaking mess and without leadership.
And....there is the meddling...
Victoria Nuland explains that in past two decades, the United States
has spent five Billion dollars ($5,000,000,000) to subvert Ukraine,
she assures her listeners that there are prominent businessmen
and government officials who support the US project to tear Ukraine
away from its historic relationship with Russia and into the US
sphere of interest (via "Europe") and the International Monetary Fund http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=861DJLR4Cek
So, take another listen now to Victoria Nuland here,
this leak was made on February 2, which means the
conversation occurred before that date.
Viktor Yanukovych did not lose power over the Ukrainian
government until more than three weeks later February 24th.
An Important Second Listen to the "F--k the EU" Ukraine Recording
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSxaa-67yGM
Cool Vids BTS.