Putin, Obama in phone call on Ukraine crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephone call with US President Barack Obama, denied the Kremlin was interfering in Ukraine and urged the United States to use its influence to prevent bloodshed there, the Kremlin said.
"The Russian side underlined that protests in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kharkov, Slaviansk and other cities in the south-east of Ukraine were the result of the lack of will and inability of the leadership in Kiev to take account of the interests of the Russian and Russian-speaking population," the Kremlin said in a statement.
"President Putin called on Barack Obama to do his utmost to use the opportunities that the United States has to prevent the use of force, and bloodshed."


Putin told Obama that reports that Russia was interfering in Ukraine were based on erroneous information. He said the focus of the authorities in Kiev should be on involving all regions and political forces in Ukraine in drawing up a new constitution.
Both sides agreed to continue to search for diplomatic means of influencing the situation in the run-up to international talks on Ukraine, scheduled to take place on April 17 in Geneva, the statement said. 
jpost.com
15/4/14
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• Telephone conversation with President of the United States Barack Obama...

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the United States of America Barack Obama.

The leaders discussed various aspects of the crisis in Ukraine, first and foremost in the southeastern regions engulfed by mass protests against the policies of the current authorities in Kiev.

The Russian side stressed that the protests in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kharkov, Slavyansk and other cities in southeastern Ukraine are the result of the Kiev authorities’ unwillingness and inability to take into account the interests of the Russian and Russian-speaking population. Vladimir Putin called upon Barack Obama to use the American side’s capabilities to prevent the use of force and bloodshed.

In response to the US President’s expressed concern about Russia’s alleged interference in southeastern Ukraine, the President of Russia noted that such speculations are based on inaccurate information. The current Ukrainian authorities must think first and foremost about truly involving all the main political forces and regions in a transparent process for developing a new constitution that guarantees the main rights and freedoms for citizens, the nation’s federal structure and its non-aligned status.

The two sides agreed to continue efforts to seek diplomatic cooperation in the context of the Ukrainian situation ahead of the four-party meeting (EU, Russia, US and Ukraine) scheduled to take place in Geneva on April 17.
http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/7020
14/4/14

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• Obama speaks with Putin as tensions in eastern Ukraine rise...

President Obama told Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday that the U.S. had "grave concern" about Moscow's aggression in Ukraine -- as pro-Russian protesters stormed government buildings in what U.S. officials said appears to be a coordinated effort backed by Moscow. 
A senior administration official said the call between the two world leaders was "frank and direct," and was at the request of the Russians. 
The White House said Obama told Putin Russia's support of pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine was a matter of "grave concern," and urged Putin to convince the forces to leave the buildings they have seized. 
"The president made clear that the diplomatic path was open and our preferred way ahead, but that Russia’s actions are neither consistent with or conducive to that," the official said. 
The White House said Obama also told Putin he believes a diplomatic solution cannot succeed as long as the Russian government continues its aggression in Ukraine................http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/14/obama-speaks-with-putin-as-tensions-in-eastern-ukraine-rise/
14/4/14