Ukraine Crisis: Kiev Peace Talks Begin Without Referendum Organizers

The Heat

Disputed referendums were held in eastern Ukraine last weekend, where de facto authorities in Luhansk and Donetsk claim that more than 90 per cent voted for state sovereignty. Despite the fact that the referendums made no mention of joining Russia, the results prompted pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk to appeal for inclusion in the Russian Federation. For its part, Russia said it “respects” the results, though has not signaled any intention of a union. On the other hand, Kiev and the West dismissed the votes as “illegitimate” and “flawed.” Against this backdrop, new talks are underway to end the crisis in Ukraine. However, as CCTV’s Roee Ruttenberg reports from Kiev, the European-backed unity talks have not included the oppositon leaders who organized the referendums.

What impact will the Kiev piece talks have on the crisis in Ukraine? With the ongoing political unrest, will the country’s presidential elections go as planned? To explores these questions, CCTV’s Anand Naidoo is joined by Mr. Ihor Dolhov, Ukraine Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg.

To discuss the Ukraine crisis and current efforts to bring stability to the country, CCTV’s Anand Naidoo interviews Dmitry Babich, a political analyst for Voice of Russia Radio.