Ukraine's Foreign Ministry takes the high road...
Kerry, Lavrov Meet to discuss Syria, Ukraine:
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is holding talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, expected to focus on the Syria and Ukraine crises.
Speaking at the start of talks with Lavrov in Moscow on March 24, Kerry said a "fragile" cessation of hostilities in Syria has "produced some progress."
But he also said he wanted to see a further reduction as well as greater flows of humanitarian aid.
Lavrov said he intended to discuss "how the international community can assist in the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis."
Kerry will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin.
During the talks, the secretary of state is expected to gauge whether the Russian leadership is ready to discuss ways to ease Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.
On Ukraine, he is expected to call on Moscow to do more to press Russian-backed separatists in the country's east to comply with a cease-fire. (Reuters, TASS, Interfax)
This ends our live blogging for March 23. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
Poroshenko calls for new cabinet by next week:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has urged parliament to approve a new cabinet next week in a bid to end a political crisis.
Ukraine’s ruling coalition has collapsed over efforts to stamp out corruption, but Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk refuses to step down after he survived a no-confidence vote last month, triggered by Poroshenko’s party.
Poroshenko told reporters in the eastern city of Kharkiv on March 23 that he was ready "to support any candidate for prime minister submitted by the [parliamentary] coalition."
"I stress that it is in Ukraine's interests to see the government confirmed next Tuesday."
Yatsenyuk expressed hope on March 23 that the political crisis would be resolved soon.
"I am waiting for further decisions to be made both by the parliamentary coalition and -- most importantly -- the president's party and the president himself."
Poroshenko controls parliament's largest faction. The one headed by Yatsenyuk closely trails in second and has previously voted in line with the president's group.
U.S.-born Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko said on March 22 that she was ready to serve as prime minister under strict conditions. (AFP, Interfax)