U.S. wants Ukraine to remain unified, cautions Russia
Anti-Yanukovich protesters stand guard at the national bankoffice in Kiev February 23, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials insistedon Sunday that Ukraine should remain unified and cautioned that any militaryintervention by Russia would be a mistake after bloody street protests oustedthe pro-Moscow president.
In an appearance on the NBC TV program"Meet the Press," National Security Adviser Susan Rice was askedabout a scenario in which Russia would send troops to restore a government morefriendly to Moscow, or for the country to be carved up.
"That would be a grave mistake. It is notin the interests of Ukraine or of Russia or of Europe or the United States tosee the country split. It's in nobody's interest to see violence return and thesituation escalate," Rice said.
Rice's appearance provided the most extensiveWhite House comments yet on days of drama in Ukraine in which opposition groupswith leanings toward western Europe took control and Russian-backed PresidentViktor Yanukovich left the capital, Kiev.
Many in Washington regard the next few days ascrucial to the fast-unfolding crisis. With the Winter Olympic Games ending inSochi, Russia, President Vladimir Putin could focus more closely on theUkrainian situation.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by telephone onSunday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, expressing support for theUkrainian parliament's latest moves. Kerry has also been in touch with some ofUkraine's opposition leaders.
The State Department said on Saturday it wouldsend its No. 2 official, Bill Burns, to Kiev this week.
Rice said the United States wants a reduction ofthe violence in Ukraine, constitutional changes, democratic elections "invery short order," and the opportunity for Ukrainians to come together ina coalition government.
The fluidity of Ukraine's situation is such thatU.S. authorities are not sure where Yanukovich is. There had been reports hehas retreated to the pro-Russian eastern part of Ukraine.
"He is in a place where it will revealitself. Yesterday we knew where he was. Today we're not so sure," Ricesaid.
The crisis in Ukraine reflects the conflictbetween those who want the country to remain aligned with Russia and those whowant closer integration with western Europe.
But Rice said those goals were not"mutually exclusive".
"There is not an inherent contradiction ...between a Ukraine that has longstanding historic and cultural ties to Russiaand a modern Ukraine that wants to integrate more closely with Europe,"Rice said.
Ukraine's messy drive toward democracy, duringwhich dozens have been killed, was ultimately positive, Rice said: "Overtime, this trajectory is a good one."
Her comments were echoed by Geoffrey Pyatt, theU.S. ambassador to Ukraine, in an interview on Sunday with National PublicRadio.
"It's been thrilling, exhausting, but alsoinspiring," Pyatt said. "What comes in the weeks ahead is a secondchance for Ukrainian democracy, a chance to make the institutions work."
INFLUENCE
On Sunday, Ukraine's parliament, exercisingpower since mass protests caused Yanukovich to flee, named its new speaker,Oleksander Turchinov, as acting head of state and worked to form a newgovernment.
Pyatt said the United States had been"encouraged" by actions in the Rada, Ukraine's parliament and the"democratic process through which Mr Turchinov was selected as thespeaker."
"There are now intensive consultationsgoing on among all the political parties to shape a successor government,"Pyatt said.
He said the United States is in close touch withauthorities in Ukraine, including the Interior Ministry, the intelligenceagency and the police, to urge "the importance of gaining rapid authorityover the instruments of state power."
The European Union and Russia, vying forinfluence over the former Soviet republic of 46 million people on theirborders, considered their next moves on Sunday.
Russia, which had provided funding toYanukovich's government, said it would keep cash on hold until it sees who isin charge.
Asked whether Putin looked at Russia's sphere ofinfluence in Ukraine in a Cold War context, Rice said that "he may".
"But if he does, that's a pretty datedperspective that doesn't reflect where the people of Ukraine are coming from.This is not about the U.S. and Russia," Rice added.
Two lawmakers urged the Obama administration tomake clear that Ukraine's territorial integrity must be protected.
"The message has to be sent to him (Putin)that let the Ukrainian people determine their own future, and a partition ofUkraine ... is totally unacceptable," Republican Senator John McCain, akey Republican voice on foreign policy, told the CBS program "Face theNation".
"And we need to act immediately to givethem (Ukrainians) the economic assistance that they need, based on reforms thatare going to be required, as well. So it's going to be tough sledding."
INTEGRITY
bob Corker, the top Republican on the SenateForeign Relations Committee, said in a statement: "The United Statesshould do everything possible to ensure Ukraine remains one country and thattheir territorial and political integrity is maintained, allowing them thefreedom to choose a future within Europe."
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew met his Russiancounterpart, Anton Siluanov, on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting inSydney on Sunday to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.
"Secretary Lew emphasized that the UnitedStates, working with other countries including Russia, stands ready to assistUkraine as it implements reforms to restore economic stability and seeks toreturn to a path of democracy and growth," a Treasury Department officialsaid.
Reporting by Will Dunham and Ros Krasny;Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington and Ian Chua in Sydney;Editing by Sophie Hares and Grant McCool)
Anti-Yanukovich protesters stand guard at the national bankoffice in Kiev February 23, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials insistedon Sunday that Ukraine should remain unified and cautioned that any militaryintervention by Russia would be a mistake after bloody street protests oustedthe pro-Moscow president.
In an appearance on the NBC TV program"Meet the Press," National Security Adviser Susan Rice was askedabout a scenario in which Russia would send troops to restore a government morefriendly to Moscow, or for the country to be carved up.
"That would be a grave mistake. It is notin the interests of Ukraine or of Russia or of Europe or the United States tosee the country split. It's in nobody's interest to see violence return and thesituation escalate," Rice said.
Rice's appearance provided the most extensiveWhite House comments yet on days of drama in Ukraine in which opposition groupswith leanings toward western Europe took control and Russian-backed PresidentViktor Yanukovich left the capital, Kiev.
Many in Washington regard the next few days ascrucial to the fast-unfolding crisis. With the Winter Olympic Games ending inSochi, Russia, President Vladimir Putin could focus more closely on theUkrainian situation.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by telephone onSunday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, expressing support for theUkrainian parliament's latest moves. Kerry has also been in touch with some ofUkraine's opposition leaders.
The State Department said on Saturday it wouldsend its No. 2 official, Bill Burns, to Kiev this week.
Rice said the United States wants a reduction ofthe violence in Ukraine, constitutional changes, democratic elections "invery short order," and the opportunity for Ukrainians to come together ina coalition government.
The fluidity of Ukraine's situation is such thatU.S. authorities are not sure where Yanukovich is. There had been reports hehas retreated to the pro-Russian eastern part of Ukraine.
"He is in a place where it will revealitself. Yesterday we knew where he was. Today we're not so sure," Ricesaid.
The crisis in Ukraine reflects the conflictbetween those who want the country to remain aligned with Russia and those whowant closer integration with western Europe.
But Rice said those goals were not"mutually exclusive".
"There is not an inherent contradiction ...between a Ukraine that has longstanding historic and cultural ties to Russiaand a modern Ukraine that wants to integrate more closely with Europe,"Rice said.
Ukraine's messy drive toward democracy, duringwhich dozens have been killed, was ultimately positive, Rice said: "Overtime, this trajectory is a good one."
Her comments were echoed by Geoffrey Pyatt, theU.S. ambassador to Ukraine, in an interview on Sunday with National PublicRadio.
"It's been thrilling, exhausting, but alsoinspiring," Pyatt said. "What comes in the weeks ahead is a secondchance for Ukrainian democracy, a chance to make the institutions work."
INFLUENCE
On Sunday, Ukraine's parliament, exercisingpower since mass protests caused Yanukovich to flee, named its new speaker,Oleksander Turchinov, as acting head of state and worked to form a newgovernment.
Pyatt said the United States had been"encouraged" by actions in the Rada, Ukraine's parliament and the"democratic process through which Mr Turchinov was selected as thespeaker."
"There are now intensive consultationsgoing on among all the political parties to shape a successor government,"Pyatt said.
He said the United States is in close touch withauthorities in Ukraine, including the Interior Ministry, the intelligenceagency and the police, to urge "the importance of gaining rapid authorityover the instruments of state power."
The European Union and Russia, vying forinfluence over the former Soviet republic of 46 million people on theirborders, considered their next moves on Sunday.
Russia, which had provided funding toYanukovich's government, said it would keep cash on hold until it sees who isin charge.
Asked whether Putin looked at Russia's sphere ofinfluence in Ukraine in a Cold War context, Rice said that "he may".
"But if he does, that's a pretty datedperspective that doesn't reflect where the people of Ukraine are coming from.This is not about the U.S. and Russia," Rice added.
Two lawmakers urged the Obama administration tomake clear that Ukraine's territorial integrity must be protected.
"The message has to be sent to him (Putin)that let the Ukrainian people determine their own future, and a partition ofUkraine ... is totally unacceptable," Republican Senator John McCain, akey Republican voice on foreign policy, told the CBS program "Face theNation".
"And we need to act immediately to givethem (Ukrainians) the economic assistance that they need, based on reforms thatare going to be required, as well. So it's going to be tough sledding."
INTEGRITY
bob Corker, the top Republican on the SenateForeign Relations Committee, said in a statement: "The United Statesshould do everything possible to ensure Ukraine remains one country and thattheir territorial and political integrity is maintained, allowing them thefreedom to choose a future within Europe."
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew met his Russiancounterpart, Anton Siluanov, on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting inSydney on Sunday to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.
"Secretary Lew emphasized that the UnitedStates, working with other countries including Russia, stands ready to assistUkraine as it implements reforms to restore economic stability and seeks toreturn to a path of democracy and growth," a Treasury Department officialsaid.
Reporting by Will Dunham and Ros Krasny;Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington and Ian Chua in Sydney;Editing by Sophie Hares and Grant McCool)
