UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated during a visit to Kyiv his appeal for a peaceful resolution to the Crimea crisis on the basis of the UN Charter, "including respect for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine."
The UN chief was speaking after talks with acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov on March 21.
Ban, who held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow a day earlier, said he had urged both sides to engage in "direct and constructive" dialogue.
He also said both sides should refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, which he said could lead to "uncontrollable situations."
He said "the world is watching and history will judge us."
Turchynov said Ukraine will never accept the occupation of Crimea by Russia.
Ban's talks with Turchynov took place as Putin signed laws completing Crimea's annexation into the Russian Federation.
The world body also says a 34-member UN human rights monitoring mission is expected to deploy in eastern Ukraine to check for abuses.
The UN chief was speaking after talks with acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov on March 21.
Ban, who held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow a day earlier, said he had urged both sides to engage in "direct and constructive" dialogue.
He also said both sides should refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, which he said could lead to "uncontrollable situations."
He said "the world is watching and history will judge us."
Turchynov said Ukraine will never accept the occupation of Crimea by Russia.
Ban's talks with Turchynov took place as Putin signed laws completing Crimea's annexation into the Russian Federation.
The world body also says a 34-member UN human rights monitoring mission is expected to deploy in eastern Ukraine to check for abuses.