07:26
11.4.2014
Good morning. We'll get the ball rolling this morning with this item from RFE/RL's news desk on a telephone call between Barack Obama and Angela Merkel over the situation in Ukraine:
The White House says President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have discussed potential further sanctions against Russia over its involvement in Ukraine.
The White House said in a statement that, during a phone call last night, Obama and Merkel called again on Moscow to withdraw its troops from the border region.
The statement said that pro-Russian separatists, "apparently with support from Moscow," were destabilizing Ukraine through "an orchestrated campaign of incitement and sabotage."
It said Obama "underscored the need for the United States, European Union, and other global partners to be prepared to meet further Russian escalation with additional sanctions."
The United States also accused Moscow of using energy to bully Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Europe that gas supplies to Ukraine could be suspended if Kyiv does not pay off its $2.2 billion gas debt.
The White House says President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have discussed potential further sanctions against Russia over its involvement in Ukraine.
The White House said in a statement that, during a phone call last night, Obama and Merkel called again on Moscow to withdraw its troops from the border region.
The statement said that pro-Russian separatists, "apparently with support from Moscow," were destabilizing Ukraine through "an orchestrated campaign of incitement and sabotage."
It said Obama "underscored the need for the United States, European Union, and other global partners to be prepared to meet further Russian escalation with additional sanctions."
The United States also accused Moscow of using energy to bully Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Europe that gas supplies to Ukraine could be suspended if Kyiv does not pay off its $2.2 billion gas debt.
08:04
11.4.2014
At #Donetsk mine they recall collecting money for striking UK miners in 1980s. Now they're worried about own future. pic.twitter.com/ybeAgbzfkN
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) April 11, 2014
08:06
11.4.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has this update on IMF aid for the embattled Kyiv administration:
Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak says Kyiv has fulfilled all conditions to receive the first portion of a financial aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Shlapak told journalists on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF spring meeting in Washington yesterday that he was there "to speak in more specific terms about time and conditions of [international] support."
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who was also in Washington for the meeting, told journalists that Moscow was concerned about Ukraine's unpaid debt for supplies of natural gas, but was ready to work with international partners on financial aid for Kyiv.
The IMF on March 27 promised to loan between $14 billion and $18 billion to cash-strapped Ukraine.
The loan hinges on structural reforms that Kyiv has pledged to undertake.
Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak says Kyiv has fulfilled all conditions to receive the first portion of a financial aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Shlapak told journalists on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF spring meeting in Washington yesterday that he was there "to speak in more specific terms about time and conditions of [international] support."
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who was also in Washington for the meeting, told journalists that Moscow was concerned about Ukraine's unpaid debt for supplies of natural gas, but was ready to work with international partners on financial aid for Kyiv.
The IMF on March 27 promised to loan between $14 billion and $18 billion to cash-strapped Ukraine.
The loan hinges on structural reforms that Kyiv has pledged to undertake.
08:53
11.4.2014
The latest tweet from Sky News's Katie Stallard in Donetsk:
Now we are all in trade chamber waiting to watch yatsenyuk talk to local officials. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/7XQFFuLK3T
— Katie Stallard (@skystallard) April 11, 2014
08:57
11.4.2014
A picture from @MitinRussia which people with all views on the Ukrainian crisis will interpret to their advantage! pic.twitter.com/6oWkKn14Y4
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) April 11, 2014
09:52
11.4.2014
This just in from the wires:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says it is necessary to stop trying to "legitimize" the Ukrainian government and for Ukraine to have legal guarantees of its "neutrality" inoorder to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.
10:03
11.4.2014
7 men have died in coal mining explosion in E Ukraine. Rada held a minute's silence. Interesting to see if @Yatsenyuk_AP goes to the scene
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) April 11, 2014
10:24
11.4.2014
Another interesting tweet from Katie Stallard at Yatsenyuk's news conference in Donetsk:
Next to him is the richest man in ukraine - oligarch rinat akhmetov. He said 'Donbass is Ukraine'. #Donetsk #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0yOTqLmFV9
— Katie Stallard (@skystallard) April 11, 2014
10:41
11.4.2014
Here's some more details from our news desk on Sergei Lavrov's latest Ukraine comments:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says it is necessary to stop trying to "legitimize" the Ukrainian government in order to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine.
Lavrov said in Moscow on April 11 that it is also necessary for Ukraine to have legal guarantees of its "neutrality" in order to resolve the Ukraine crisis, underlining Moscow's opposition to Kyiv joining NATO.
He also said that Russia is ready for four-party talks next week with the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine.
Lavrov said that talks about energy issues, including Ukraine's gas debt to Moscow, should also be on the agenda of the talks.
He added that there is a need for major reform of the Ukrainian Constitution, not just "cosmetic" changes to it.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says it is necessary to stop trying to "legitimize" the Ukrainian government in order to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine.
Lavrov said in Moscow on April 11 that it is also necessary for Ukraine to have legal guarantees of its "neutrality" in order to resolve the Ukraine crisis, underlining Moscow's opposition to Kyiv joining NATO.
He also said that Russia is ready for four-party talks next week with the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine.
Lavrov said that talks about energy issues, including Ukraine's gas debt to Moscow, should also be on the agenda of the talks.
He added that there is a need for major reform of the Ukrainian Constitution, not just "cosmetic" changes to it.
10:51
11.4.2014
Interesting: Russia will transfer inmates from #Crimea to mainland #Ukraine if they ask for it - Pros General Chaika http://t.co/npgLsOfNae
— Nikolaus von Twickel (@niktwick) April 11, 2014