17:31
29.3.2014
From our news desk. Kerry's firming up plans for meeting with Lavrov.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has made a last-minute change of plans to fly to France for talks on Ukraine.
U.S. officials said Saturday that Kerry would meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Sunday evening in Paris to discuss the situation in Ukraine where Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula has led to a situation some officials have described as the biggest security problem in Europe since the Cold War.
The meeting comes after U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a call on Friday to have their foreign ministers meet to discuss a possible diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine.
U.S. officials said Saturday that Kerry would meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Sunday evening in Paris to discuss the situation in Ukraine where Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula has led to a situation some officials have described as the biggest security problem in Europe since the Cold War.
The meeting comes after U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a call on Friday to have their foreign ministers meet to discuss a possible diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine.
17:39
29.3.2014
Scary thought...
New president, old Rada. Potentially Moscow-1993 situation.
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) March 29, 2014
18:00
29.3.2014
Just to clarify, it was U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki -- rather than "U.S. officials" as we had in our news short -- who said Kerry would meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday evening.
18:04
29.3.2014
Another pic of Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina in Kyiv:
Drie keer raden wie er ondertussen op de barricades in Kiev staan... pic.twitter.com/MCzyEQIdJl
— Olaf Koens (@obk) March 29, 2014
18:08
29.3.2014
Today, Yulia's Tymoshenko's Fatherland party nominated her to be the party's candidate for president in the May 25 presidential election.
She spoke today at Fatherland's party congress in Kyiv:
She also lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin:
She spoke today at Fatherland's party congress in Kyiv:
"I know that if we fail to give the instruments of daily control over the government and politics to the people we risk again sliding down the path where another revolution will be needed. I am your guarantee for that you will be given real rights, will be given a real influence over the government, will be given a real say over the formation of all strategies of the country without exception."
She also lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin:
"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants to punish us, Ukrainians, for our quest for freedom, for our European choice, for our courage to fight. Our response in Crimea, I think, has not been adequate. If you elect me to and entrust me with the post of President of Ukraine I will not give up a single centimeter of Ukrainian land to the aggressor without a fight."
18:12
29.3.2014
Here are some comments by Crimean Tatar leader Refat Chubarov speaking today (March 29) at a Crimean Tatar assembly in Bakhchisaray. The assembly voted in favor of seeking "ethnic and territorial autonomy" for Crimea's Tatars.
Refat Chubarov
"We are talking about the rights of the Crimean Tatar people to self-determination -- possibly all the way to national and social autonomy. We are addressing the governments of all countries with no exception. We are especially addressing the governments of those countries, which have areas within their federations whose borders are determined by the rights of ethnic majorities living in them."
"By adopting this document, we are announcing to all parties involved the commencement of political procedures to create national and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatar people on its historical territory in Crimea."
Refat Chubarov
"We are talking about the rights of the Crimean Tatar people to self-determination -- possibly all the way to national and social autonomy. We are addressing the governments of all countries with no exception. We are especially addressing the governments of those countries, which have areas within their federations whose borders are determined by the rights of ethnic majorities living in them."
"By adopting this document, we are announcing to all parties involved the commencement of political procedures to create national and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatar people on its historical territory in Crimea."
18:19
29.3.2014
Dmitry Rogozin says Ukraine's economy is doomed if it stops cooperating with Russia. Via ITAR-TASS:
MOSCOW, March 29 (Itar-Tass) - A decision of the Ukrainian government to stop industrial cooperation with Russia will sign an end to the Ukrainian economy, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Saturday in an interview with the Moscow-based REN TV channel.
"First and foremost, they will be simply doomed if they axe this whole thing (cooperation)," Rogozin said. "For us, it will mean problems, too, but we'll anyway find a partner in some other country who will supply the same - or maybe even better - type of products to us, albeit the search will take time."
"First and foremost, they will be simply doomed if they axe this whole thing (cooperation)," Rogozin said. "For us, it will mean problems, too, but we'll anyway find a partner in some other country who will supply the same - or maybe even better - type of products to us, albeit the search will take time."
18:36
29.3.2014
Some comments from the wires from the meeting today between Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov.
Lukashenk said during the meeting he was sure he and Ukrainian officials could "find a certain common ground" and added, "We already share many common views."
Turchynov said the people of Belarus and Ukraine have been "living, working and fighting side-by-side for hundreds of years" and also expressed the hope the two nations would strengthen ties.
Turchynov said the people of Belarus and Ukraine have been "living, working and fighting side-by-side for hundreds of years" and also expressed the hope the two nations would strengthen ties.
20:06
29.3.2014
Do read Yevhen Solonyna's and Daisy Sindelar's piece on fears of war.
In Ukraine, Fears Of War Abound http://t.co/oHJRJdEvPr
— RFE/RL (@RFERL) March 29, 2014
21:26
29.3.2014
We are wrapping up for the night.
The field for the May presidential election is coming into focus with Ukraine's major political parties holding their congresses on March 29.
Businessman Petro Poroshenko, who is leading in the polls, and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will both run. So will Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the natonalist Svoboda party and former Kharkiv Governor Mikhail Dobkin, who will represent the Party of Regions.
Vitali Klitschko has announced that he will not seek the presidency. Klitschko says he will instead run for mayor of Kyiv and has endorsed Poroshenko for president.
The field for the May presidential election is coming into focus with Ukraine's major political parties holding their congresses on March 29.
Businessman Petro Poroshenko, who is leading in the polls, and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will both run. So will Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the natonalist Svoboda party and former Kharkiv Governor Mikhail Dobkin, who will represent the Party of Regions.
Vitali Klitschko has announced that he will not seek the presidency. Klitschko says he will instead run for mayor of Kyiv and has endorsed Poroshenko for president.