Obama pushes Putin for diplomacy in Ukraine crisis

In an hour-long conversation, Obama told Putin that Russia’s action violates the sovereignty of Ukraine.

15:57 07 March 2014

In an hour-long conversation, US President Barack Obama, has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine while reiterating that Russia’s actions violate Ukraine sovereignty. He pushed for talks between Kiev and Moscow, pulling out Russian forces from Crimea, and international monitors in Ukraine.

The US and EU joined the Ukrainian government in condemning Crimea’s move as “illegitimate.”

On Thursday, the US government issued visa restrictions on a number of unnamed Ukrainian and Russian officials and individuals. Meanwhile, EU leaders in Brussels put a hold on talks with Moscow regarding easing travel restrictions on Russians entering the EU. It also issued a warning of further measures if Moscow does not take the necessary steps to de-escalate the situation.

Meanwhile, President Putin responded by saying that Russia could not “ignore calls for help and acts accordingly, in full compliance of international law.”

Amidst warnings from US and EU, he also said that US-Russian “relations should not be sacrificed due to disagreements over individual, albeit extremely significant, international problems.”