The crisis in Ukraine has forced a fifth meeting in ten days of the United Nations Security Council as diplomatic efforts appear to be making little progress in finding a solution.
While the European Union prepares to implement a number of sanctions against Russia including the freezing of assets, the UN has renewed its calls on Moscow to de-escalate the situation in Crimea.
Gerard Araud, French Ambassador to the United Nations, made a plea to the Russians:
“If Crimea should be annexed by Russia it would be very serious. And it would have lots of consequences on international relations. Some of them being announced by the last European Council. So, it [the meeting ] was really a call to the Russians that we want to negotiate, we want a political settlement. Please don’t worsen this crisis.”
Meanwhile Russia has accused the US of rejecting an invitation to hold new talks on resolving the crisis which is the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War.
Washington later said a meeting of foreign ministers would be possible this week but only if Moscow ceased its military advances in Crimea first.
Western powers have in general rallied behind Ukraine’s new leaders and the World Bank has pledged to provide up to $3bn to see Kyiv through its economic problems.
