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Ukrainian leaders on Wednesday launched round-table “Unity” talks as a part of a Western push to prevent the country from falling apart. They vowed that they wouldn’t bow to “blackmail” by pro-Russian forces waging an insurgency in Eastern Ukraine.
The “Unity” talks do not involve the pro-Russian forces battling in Eastern Ukraine, and are being held two weeks before Ukraine holds a Presidential poll, which the West is scurrying to keep alive. Several European leaders have been working together to bring Ukraine and pro-Moscow separatists together under an OSCE-sponsored roadmap.
However, Russia has bluntly warned that Ukraine was already on the verge of civil war, accusing the West of controlling the interim government.
Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turchynov at the round-table talks said that Ukraine was ready to negotiate with the separatists, but they must lay down their weapons first. “We will not yield to blackmail. We are ready to listen to the people of the east but they must not shoot, loot or occupy government buildings”, he said.
On Tuesday, a rebel ambush on the Ukrainian army saw dozens lose their lives, including seven army soldiers, in the port city of Odessa. Eastern Ukraine continues to be on edge, with lethal violence erupting between government troops and separatist forces that have seized control of a dozen cities and town since April. The crisis showed no signs of stopping despite diplomatic efforts flying in after independence referendums were passed in the regions of Lugansk and Donestsk in the weekend.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a television interview that “when Ukrainians kill Ukrainians I believe this is as close to a civil war as you can get. In east and south of Ukraine there is a war, a real war”. He added that he had “strong suspicions” that the West had mercenaries operating in Ukraine, playing down the threat of EU and US sanctions.