Accessibility links

Breaking News
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a news conference at his country residence of Novo-Ogaryova outside Moscow on March 4.
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a news conference at his country residence of Novo-Ogaryova outside Moscow on March 4.

Live Blog: Ukraine On The Brink

Summary

-- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Kyiv as U.S. officials announced Washington is preparing a $1 billion aid package for Ukraine.

-- Speaking at a press conference at his residence, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the change of government in Ukraine an "unconstitutional overthrow and an armed seizure of power."

-- Putin also said there are no considerations to annex Crimea and no intentions to provoke separatist sentiment. He said it is up to the citizens of Crimea to determine their own future.

-- In Crimea, there are standoffs between Russian and Ukrainian troops in their bases, with conflicting reports of ultimatums given to Ukrainian troops to surrender that come and pass.

-- Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin has said that Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use the Russian military to restore law and order in his country.

-- In eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian demonstrators have occupied part of the regional government building in the city of Donetsk. Meanwhile, a few hundred pro-Russian activists tried but failed to force their way into the regional administration building in the southern city of Odesa.

NOTE: Live blog updates are listed according to local time in Kyiv

-- Glenn Kates / Luke Allnutt / Coilin O'Connor / Dan Wisniewski
14:47 20.2.2014
Interesting interaction between Vitali Klitschko and security forces.

Klitschko says:

"My heart aches to see brother going against brother, when a Ukrainian goes against another Ukrainian."

An officer responds, after quieting another one:

"These kinds of issues need to be resolved in the parliament -- not in Maidan."

15:07 20.2.2014
15:23 20.2.2014
EU Ministers leave after meeting with Yanukoych. No comments.

15:27 20.2.2014

15:37 20.2.2014
Fantastic piece by Peter Pomerantsev from a few weeks ago on the complexities that don't follow the simple East-West divide narrative. It's much more complicated than "a Russian-speaking east and a Ukrainian-speaking west."

Do you speak Surzhyk?
15:40 20.2.2014
From our Brussels correspondent:

EU foreign ministers have started a meeting to discuss targeted measures against Ukrainians responsible for the violence in the country.

Information released prior to the start of Thursday's extraordinary session in Brussels did not make clear whether the measures will include both asset freezes and visa bans, and does not mention individuals.

The document, seen by RFE/RL, also includes the introduction of an EU arms embargo on Ukraine and a ban on exports of equipment used for internal repression such as batons.

The document is subject to change depending on the rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine.

The German, French, and Polish foreign ministers are not at the session in Brussels.

An announcement was made the three would remain in Kyiv where they have been in talks with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
16:11 20.2.2014
16:22 20.2.2014
Petro Poroshenko is a Ukrainian oligarch and member of parliament, and an outspoken supporter of the opposition.

16:26 20.2.2014
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt offers "appeal to Ukraine's elected officials." He says members of parliament who are not at the Verkhovna Rada, "working to forge a political solution, you're part of the problem, you're not part of the solution.

16:42 20.2.2014
... And a tweet from Geoffrey Pyatt:

Load more

XS
SM
MD
LG