U.S., EU, Russia Talks Working Toward Joint Statement on Ukraine First Sign That Geneva Discussions are Making Progress
GENEVA—The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. and the European Union are working on a joint statement, in a sign that talks in Geneva may have made progress, according to two officials involved in the talks on Thursday.
Both officials said it wasn't yet clear whether a joint statement would eventually be agreed among all four governments.
No details were immediately available.
Thursday's meeting, which started late morning in Geneva, is the highest-level direct talks between Moscow and Kiev since Russia's annexation of Crimea. (Follow the latest updates on the crisis in Ukraine.)
Three pro-Russian protesters have been killed and thirteen wounded in the Black Sea port of Mariupol. Ukrainian soldiers opened fire when three hundred pro-Russian separatists stormed the National Guard base throwing Molotov cocktails. Western diplomats had said no major breakthrough is likely but that they hoped the talks would start a process which could ease tensions between Ukraine and Russia and calm the troubles in eastern Ukraine.
Pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings in a number of towns in eastern Ukraine in recent days. Washington has accused Russia of backing the violence.
Russia, which has tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine's border, has repeatedly denied intervening in Ukraine.
Diplomats have said the test is to design a package of steps that can win Russian buy-in without pressing Kiev into political changes it doesn't want. Moscow has backed a call by pro-Russian separatists to give Ukraine's eastern provinces much greater autonomy from Kiev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told a live Russian TV show he hopes he doesn't have to send Russian troops into Ukraine but hasn't ruled it out, accusing the Kiev government of committing "a serious crime" by using the military to quell unrest. "This will be the first opportunity for this contact group to meet," said White House spokesman Jay Carney late Wednesday. "And we expect the conversation to focus on the need to de-escalate, the need for Russia to demobilize its troop presence on the border with Ukraine, the need for armed separatist groups within Ukraine to disband and disarm."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday morning the Geneva talks are a chance to find compromise on Ukraine, but he accused the Kiev government of committing a "serious crime" for sending troops into the east.
The U.S. and the EU sought to raise the ante on Russia to engage in meaningful talks. Mr. Carney said the U.S. had "additional sanctions prepared and we'll impose them as appropriate."
The EU is currently deciding how many Russian officials to add to a travel ban and asset freeze list and the bloc's executive. The European Commission on Wednesday sent details to member states about possible broader sanctions measures, although there are divisions over what could trigger this next phase of restrictions.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also said Wednesday it would increase its flights over the Baltic nations and send ships to the Mediterranean and Baltic seas in response to Russia's threat to Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly denied it is directly involved in the latest violence in eastern Ukraine and said it has troops on the border only as part of a military exercise.
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"It's always possible if there's a will," he said.
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said Monday that a referendum could be held alongside the presidential election vote that could pave the way for greater regional autonomy.
Ukraine's parliament approved a statement on Wednesday welcoming talks but warning that the country's constitutional arrangements and foreign policy choices "cannot be the subject of international negotiations."
Thursday's discussions are also likely to touch on energy issues. Russia has hiked the price for gas exports to Ukraine. Mr. Putin wrote last week to 18 EU leaders warning Moscow may have to demand Kiev starts making prepayments for gas because of unpaid bills. He warned European consumers could suffer if there is any eventual disruption in Russian gas supplies through Ukraine.
European foreign ministers on Monday asked the EU's executive to respond to Mr. Putin's letter for the whole bloc.