Obama pushes Putin to make separatists stand down

US President Barack Obama called Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him to calm the unrest in eastern Ukraine.

By Dave Lancaster |

15:17 15 April 2014

World leaders Obama and Putin have reportedly engaged in a phone conversation regarding the state of eastern Ukraine with US President Obama calling for his Russian counterpart to make separatists cease their activities. 

 

The news comes as Ukraine's acting President, Olexander Turchynov, kicked off an "anti-terrorist operation" to push the pro-Russian activists out of occupying official buildings. 

 

EU foreign ministers are expanding their list of names that are to be targeted by sanctions in the wake of Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula (formerly belonging to Ukraine). 

 

A White House statement read: "The president expressed grave concern about Russian government support for the actions of armed, pro-Russian separatists who threaten to undermine and destabilise the government of Ukraine.

 

"The president emphasised that all irregular forces in the country need to lay down their arms, and he urged President Putin to use his influence with these armed, pro-Russian groups to convince them to depart the buildings they have seized."

 

Meanwhile, the Kremlin released their own statement claiming that the unrest in Ukraine was due to "the unwillingness and inability of the leadership in Kiev to take into account the interests of Russia and the Russian-speaking population".

 

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague applauded the Ukrainian government for acting "very responsibly throughout this crisis" keeping bloodshed levels down amid a "very dangerous" situation.