Russia yesterday pledged it would not invade mainland Ukraine following its seizure of Crimea and said it favored the ex-Soviet state becoming a federation as a way of defusing the crisis.
Tensions have run high after Russian President Vladimir Putin ripped up the post-Soviet order with Moscow’s lightning takeover of Crimea from Ukraine, with the US accusing Russia of massing tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s eastern border.
However, telephone talks between Putin and US President Barack Obama late on Friday were the latest sign of a slight lessening in tensions between Moscow and the West, and a search for a mutual solution in what remains the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov hinted at what were Moscow’s main demands in the negotiations — that Ukraine should be made into a federation and commit to not joining NATO, while order should be restored to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, where protesters have thronged the city center for six months.
Ukraine is now entering a crucial phase in its development after the fall of pro-Kremlin former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych last month, as the clock ticks down to May 25 presidential elections which are expected to cement Kiev’s pro-West course.
With boxing champion turned politician Vitali Klitschko bowing out of the race, the overwhelming favorite to win those elections is pro-West confectionary tycoon Petro Poroshenko, a former Ukrainian economy and foreign minister.
Lavrov said in a major Russian television interview broadcast yesterday that Moscow has absolutely no intention of ordering its armed forces to cross over the Ukrainian border and acknowledged that the divisions between Moscow and the West on the crisis are narrowing.
“We have absolutely no intention and no interests in crossing the Ukrainian border,” he said.
“We [Russia and the West] are getting closer in our positions,” he added, saying that recent contacts had shown the outlines of a “possible joint initiative which could be presented to our Ukrainian colleagues.”
Lavrov made clear Russia’s priorities for Ukraine were a federalization which would allow the interests of everyone in the country — including Russian speakers in the east and south — to be fully represented.
Ukraine should also commit to never joining NATO — clearly a red line for Moscow — and protesters should leave Ukrainian squares and buildings, Lavrov said.
“There should be no ambiguity here. There is too much ‘not for the time being’ and ‘we don’t intend’ [to join NATO]. Intentions change, but facts on the ground remain,” he said.
He said that the West was showing openness to Russia’s idea of a federalized Ukraine.
“They are listening. I can say that a federation [for Ukraine] is far from being a forbidden word in our talks,” Lavrov said.
“To be honest, we do not see any other path forwards for the Ukrainian state other than federalization,” he added.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters that Putin told him in Moscow earlier this month “he had no intention to make any military move” following the seizure of Crimea.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old