Russian Responses to Ukraine Crisis

World Today

As Ukrainian troops move against anti-Kiev forces across the East and South of the country, there’s been reactions from both Moscow and Washington. CCTV’s Nathan King reports.

Russian Responses to Ukraine Crisis

As Ukrainian troops move against anti-Kiev forces across the East and South of the country, there's been reaction from both Moscow and Washington. CCTV's Nathan King reports.

Russian reaction is very strong. Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson announced on radio claiming “an end to the Geneva agreement that was meant to diffuse this crisis”.

Dmitry Peskov, Russian Presidential Spokesman, says: “With regret, we can now state that those actions of the Kiev government cancel out the Geneva agreements. It is unlikely to expect now even a partial implementation of these agreements. But nevertheless Russia continues to undertake consistent efforts to de-escalate. We call on the European capitals, as well as the United States to give an appropriate assessment to what is happening. And of course, we call on those who use aviation against populated areas to come to their senses.”

Moscow, meanwhile, also called an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

In Europe, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, speaking to NATO alliance members, said the escalation in Ukraine was a moment of challenge to the alliance and urged NATO members to increase their defense spending, adding that the end of the Cold War hasn’t ended security challenges in Europe.

And standing next to Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House here in Washington on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama said if Russia doesn’t use its influence to curb anti-Kiev activities in eastern Ukraine, then sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy could follow.

With the only diplomatic deal so far since this crisis began now dead, there are increasingly confrontational rhetoric and calls for more military spending.