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U.S. and Russia Step Up Diplomacy on Ukraine As Diplomacy Steps Up, Ukraine Candidates Narrow
(about 2 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — A day after the Russian leader Vladimir V. Putin reached out to President Obama to try to peacefully resolve the standoff over Ukraine, Secretary of State John Kerry scrambled his travel plans to meet with his Russian counterpart in Paris on Sunday, according to a State Department official. MOSCOW — A day after the Russian leader Vladimir V. Putin proposed to President Obama that they boost attempts to resolve their standoff over Ukraine peacefully, Secretary of State John Kerry scrambled his travel plans to meet with his Russian counterpart in Paris on Sunday, according to a State Department official and Russian news reports.
In an apparent bid to quiet tensions, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia said Saturday that Russia and the United States and its Western allies were already narrowing their differences over a political and diplomatic solution to a crisis that intensified with Russia’s recent annexation of Crimea. The takeover amplified fears that Russia was massing troops on the border to seize more of Ukraine. As the international tug-of-war over Ukraine’s future continued, one of the best-known faces of the country’s anti-government protests that set off the political crisis put aside his presidential ambitions and threw his support to a competitor in hopes of unifying forces behind a single, pro-Western candidate.
News of the diplomatic push came as Ukrainian leaders maneuvered ahead of a presidential election they hope will begin to calm the political upheaval that started with protests against President Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was ousted. The announcement by Vitali Klitschko, a former world champion boxer, that he would back the billionaire chocolate magnate Petro Olekseyevich Poroshenko upended the race for president ahead of elections in May.
Vitali Klitschko, one of the best-known faces of the opposition to Mr. Yanukovych, said on Saturday that he was abandoning his candidacy for president and would instead support the billionaire Petro Poroshenko.
Both men led the protests against Mr. Yanukovych’s tilt toward Moscow, and have said they seek a stronger democracy and a more pro-Western path for the country.
“The presidential elections in Ukraine on May 25 should join society and not become another war of everyone against everyone,” Mr. Klitschko said at a meeting of his political party, the United Democratic Alliance for Reform. “This can be achieved only if you do not split the votes between the democratic candidates.”“The presidential elections in Ukraine on May 25 should join society and not become another war of everyone against everyone,” Mr. Klitschko said at a meeting of his political party, the United Democratic Alliance for Reform. “This can be achieved only if you do not split the votes between the democratic candidates.”
The move by Mr. Klitschko, who enjoys wide name recognition because of his fame as a former champion boxer, could propel Mr. Poroshenko to a commanding lead in the election, where his most prominent contender will most likely be Yulia V. Tymoshenko, the country’s former prime minister and a familiar figure in the country’s tumultuous opposition movement. The months of demonstrations and political turmoil, which eventually toppled then-president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, centered on whether Kiev would tilt more toward Moscow or the West.
On Saturday, in an apparent bid to defuse tensions with the West, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said in a television interview that Russia had “no intention” of invading Ukraine. Russia’s recent rapid annexation of Crimea, combined with reports from the United States and NATO that it was massing troops along the Ukrainian border, had amplified fears that it planned to seize more Ukrainian territory.
Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Kerry spoke by telephone on Saturday after Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin had agreed on fresh diplomacy.
After the phone call, Mr. Kerry delayed his return to the United States and headed for Paris to meet Mr. Lavrov on Sunday. He had been due back in Europe on Tuesday for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
“We are bringing our approaches closer together,” Mr. Lavrov said in an interview on Russia 1 television, according to a transcript on the station’s website. “My latest meeting with John Kerry in The Hague and my contacts with Germany, France and some other countries show that the possibility of a joint initiative is taking shape, which could be proposed to our Ukrainian colleagues.”
There was no immediate American response to his comments, but one administration official on Saturday cautioned that it is unlikely that a deal is imminent and noted the difference in tone between the statements issued by the United States and by Russia on what was said in the telephone call between the two presidents.
Russia’s solution emphasizes a federation — allowing for greater autonomy for eastern and southern Ukraine, with its heavy concentration of ethnic Russians. The stress Moscow puts a federation is seen partly as an attempt to ensure that Ukraine does not coalesce into a strong pro-European, anti-Russian country right next door.
Mr. Lavrov rejected as “absolutely unacceptable” the formula devised by Western officials, whereby Russia and Ukraine would negotiate directly with each other under Western auspices. The Russians reject the current leadership in Kiev as illegitimate. Mr. Lavrov repeated that the West should do more to curb the “lawlessness,” in Ukraine, a formulation often interpreted as a veiled warning that Russia might intervene if the West and its allies do not push the Ukrainian leadership to bring stability.
But in his interview the Russian foreign minister stressed that Moscow was not contemplating an invasion.
The move by Mr. Klitschko on Saturday could propel Mr. Poroshenko to a formidable lead in the election, where his most prominent anticipated contender Yulia V. Tymoshenko, the country’s former prime minister and a familiar if controversial figure in the country’s tumultuous opposition movement. But it might also help Ms. Tymoshenko by removing one popular rival.
Mr. Klitschko said he would run instead for mayor of Kiev with a goal of transforming the city into a “truly European capital.”Mr. Klitschko said he would run instead for mayor of Kiev with a goal of transforming the city into a “truly European capital.”
Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Kerry spoke by telephone on Saturday after Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin had promised new diplomacy. After the phone call, Mr. Kerry delayed his return to the United States and headed for Paris to meet Mr. Lavrov on Sunday.
Also on Saturday, Mr. Lavrov said in a television interview that Russia had “no intention” of sending troops to Ukraine, according to a transcript.
“We are bringing our approaches closer together,” Mr. Lavrov said. “My last meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in The Hague and my contacts with Germany, France and some other countries show that a possible joint initiative that could be offered to our Ukrainian partners is taking shape.”
The Russian solution emphasizes a federation — allowing for greater autonomy for eastern Ukraine, with its heavy concentration of ethnic Russians. Moscow’s emphasis on a federation is seen partly as an attempt to ensure that Ukraine does not coalesce into a strong pro-European, anti-Russian country right next door.
Mr. Lavrov rejected as “absolutely unacceptable” the formula devised by Western officials, whereby Russia and Ukraine would negotiate directly with each other under Western auspices. Mr. Lavrov said. The Russians reject the current leadership in Kiev as illegitimate.
The crisis began after Mr. Yanukovych turned last year against closer trade and other ties with the West under pressure from Russia.
On Saturday, Mr. Poroshenko hailed the decision by Mr. Klitschko to step aside, saying it would serve the goals of the thousands of people who demonstrated for more than three months in hopes of putting Ukraine on the path to a pro-Western political future.On Saturday, Mr. Poroshenko hailed the decision by Mr. Klitschko to step aside, saying it would serve the goals of the thousands of people who demonstrated for more than three months in hopes of putting Ukraine on the path to a pro-Western political future.
“It would be a betrayal if we did not unite,” Mr. Poroshenko said in a speech to the United Democratic Alliance for Reform congress Saturday.“It would be a betrayal if we did not unite,” Mr. Poroshenko said in a speech to the United Democratic Alliance for Reform congress Saturday.
Mr. Poroshenko said that it was clear in light of the popular uprising, and the deaths of more than 80 demonstrators in clashes with the police before Mr. Yanukovych’s ouster, that officials had an obligation to be more responsive to the public.Mr. Poroshenko said that it was clear in light of the popular uprising, and the deaths of more than 80 demonstrators in clashes with the police before Mr. Yanukovych’s ouster, that officials had an obligation to be more responsive to the public.
“Up until now in Ukrainian politics there has not been a case when two candidates for president who have the highest levels of support could take the step to unite,” he added.“Up until now in Ukrainian politics there has not been a case when two candidates for president who have the highest levels of support could take the step to unite,” he added.
An aide said that Mr. Poroshenko would file paperwork to become an official candidate by Saturday evening.An aide said that Mr. Poroshenko would file paperwork to become an official candidate by Saturday evening.
On Thursday, Ms. Tymoshenko announced that she would run for president as the candidate of the Fatherland party. Ms. Tymoshenko, Mr. Yanukovych’s archrival, spent two and a half years in prison on charges that her supporters and the West have long criticized as politically motivated. Mr. Yanukovych narrowly defeated her in Ukraine’s 2010 presidential election.On Thursday, Ms. Tymoshenko announced that she would run for president as the candidate of the Fatherland party. Ms. Tymoshenko, Mr. Yanukovych’s archrival, spent two and a half years in prison on charges that her supporters and the West have long criticized as politically motivated. Mr. Yanukovych narrowly defeated her in Ukraine’s 2010 presidential election.
A spokesman for Ms. Tymoshenko, who was attending her own party congress on Saturday, did not have an immediate response to Mr. Klitschko’s announcement.A spokesman for Ms. Tymoshenko, who was attending her own party congress on Saturday, did not have an immediate response to Mr. Klitschko’s announcement.
Ms. Tymoshenko is by far the best-known politician in the race and an extremely charismatic speaker. But she faces an uphill climb, given the public’s deep mistrust of anyone with long experience in government in a country with a history of corruption and mismanagement. Ms. Tymoshenko served twice as prime minister and has been a prominent political figure for more than a decade. Ms. Tymoshenko is by the far the best-known politician in the race and an extremely charismatic speaker. But she faces an uphill climb, given the public’s deep mistrust of anyone so closely associated with previous governments in a country with a long history of corruption and mismanagement.
Russia has spoken out strongly against some prospective candidates in the presidential elections, especially Dmytro Yarosh, a right-wing activist who heads the Right Sector ultranationalist coalition.
Other candidates, like Mikhail Dobkin, who was nominated on Saturday by Mr. Yanukovych’s former party, have called for greater autonomy for regions from the central government as pro-Russian sentiment in the east has grown in cities where many wish for closer ties with Moscow rather than Europe.
Another veteran politician, Sergey Tigipko, a former vice prime minister and head of the Ukrainian national bank and an ally of Mr. Yanukovych’s, also recently declared his candidacy for president, as an independent. Mr. Tigipko was elected to Parliament most recently as a member of Mr. Yanukovych’s Party of Regions and had served in the Yanukovych government. In the last weeks of the protests in Kiev, however, he had been trying to negotiate a compromise to ease Mr. Yanukovych from power.