Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Russia to Europe: Don't Interfere in Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged European governments on Tuesday not to interfere in Ukraine's political crisis and expressed concern that events in Kiev could be spinning out of control.

Moscow, which sees its fellow former Soviet republic as part of its traditional sphere of influence, has watched nervously as protests against President Viktor Yanukovich's decision to shun a trade pact with the European Union have turned violent.

Yanukovich, who received a multi-billion dollar bail-out package from Moscow after he spurned the EU deal, has angered protesters by signing sweeping laws to curb public protest.

"We would prefer that some of our European colleagues refrained from acting unceremoniously over the Ukrainian crisis, when, without any kind of invitation, members of certain European governments rush to the Maidan (central square in Kiev), take part in anti-government demonstrations in a country with which they have diplomatic relations," Lavrov told a news conference.

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