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Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya speaks to the UN General Assembly on March 27.
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya speaks to the UN General Assembly on March 27.
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Live Blog: UN Backs Ukraine Integrity

Final Summary For March 27

-- The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution that affirms Ukraine's territorial integrity.

-- The IMF has announced "a staff-level agreement" with Kyiv on assistance of $14 billion-$18 billion in conjunction with a reform program that will "unlock" up to $27 billion over the next two years, pending final approval next month. Tthe U.S. Congress has also passed an aid bill for Ukraine.

-- Ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko has announced plans to run for president.

-- Members of the Right Sector have been holding a demonstration outside the Ukrainian parliament building to vent their anger at the killing of prominent member Oleksander Muzychko earlier in the week.

-- Six Ukrainian military officers detained by pro-Russian troops in Crimea have been released, including Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, but five others are still being held captive.

-- Anonymous sources quoted by CNN say U.S. intelligence "concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine."

-- U.S. President Barack Obama, in the keynote speech of his visit to Europe, chided Russia for its use of "brute force" in Ukraine and vowed that a determined alliance of the United States and Europe will prevail over time.


*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Kyiv
19:10 10.3.2014
19:13 10.3.2014
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric reading a statement on Ukraine from Ban today in New York.
"Recent events in Crimea in particular have only served to deepen the crisis. As tensions and mistrust are growing, I urge all sides to refrain from hasty actions and provocative rhetoric. The international community must help the key actors to calm the situation and work toward a durable and fair political solution. A further deterioration of the situation would have serious repercussions for the people of Ukraine, the region, and the global community."
19:20 10.3.2014
19:29 10.3.2014
British Prime Minister David Cameron speaking March 10 in parliament in London.
On Britain's response to Russia for its activities in Ukraine:
"Here in Britain I have ordered an urgent review of all government business with Russia. We've already announced that no ministers or members of the royal family will visit the Sochi Paralympics. Many other planned ministerial level contacts will be cancelled in current circumstances. All bilateral military cooperation is under review with the presumption that we will suspend it, except for work carried out to fulfill international treaty obligations, such as European Arms Control inspections."
"I've ordered a review of licenses for arms exports to Russia. It is hard to see how anything that could be used in Ukraine could be justified. But as with other measures, it is best, if possible, to take these decisions in concert with our European allies."
"We are working closely with our American, European, and other international partners to prepare a list of names [of Russian citizens to be sanctioned] and these sanctions, plus the measures already agreed against [ousted Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych and his circle will be the focus of a meeting here in London tomorrow with key international partners."
On a referendum in Crimea:
"We are all clear that any referendum or vote in Crimea this week will be illegal, illegitimate, and will not be recognized by the international community. I have to say in addition -- any campaign would actually be completely impractical as well as illegal. There is no proper register, no proper campaign, the territory is covered with troops -- it's completely impossible for a proper referendum campaign to be carried out."
"As I discussed with [German] Chancellor [Angela] Merkel last night in Hannover, Russia can chose the path of de-escalation by signalling it understands that the outcome cannot be acted on as legitimate. Chancellor Merkel and I were clear that any attempt by Russia to legitimize an illegal referendum would require us to respond by ratcheting up the pressure further."
On EU's vulnerability to sanctions by Russia:
"Such sanctions would have consequences for many EU member states, including Britain. But as I argued at the meeting [of the EU heads of state], the costs of not standing up to aggression are far greater. Britain's own security and prosperity would be at risk if we allow a situation where countries can just flout international rules without incurring consequences."
On pending G8 and EU-Russia summits:
"The point [being made] about the EU-Russia summit and linking that to the G8 is absolutely right. I think it would be unthinkable for a G8 not to go ahead but an EU-Russia summit to go ahead. I think these things have to be considered in tandem."
19:42 10.3.2014
19:51 10.3.2014
Take a look at this shot of pro-Russia (Soviet?!) supporters in Kharkiv:
20:29 10.3.2014
20:38 10.3.2014
The World Bank says it is prepared to offer $3 billion to Ukraine this year to help it advance reforms and support crucial development projects. Bank President Jim Yong Kim said in Washington on March 10 that "we are committed to supporting the people of Ukraine in these difficult times and very much hope that the situation in the country stabilizes soon."
20:45 10.3.2014
Our Ukrainian Service was in Simferopol as dozens of people rallied on March 10 to protest the shutting down of terrestrial broadcasts of all Ukrainian television channels in Crimea, with Russian channels taking over some of the vacated frequencies.
20:47 10.3.2014
Barring major developments, this concludes our live-blogging for March 10.

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