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| Ukraine crisis: France, Germany threaten Russia over poll | Ukraine crisis: France, Germany threaten Russia over poll |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| France and Germany have threatened Russia with further sanctions if Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May fails to go ahead. | France and Germany have threatened Russia with further sanctions if Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May fails to go ahead. |
| President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement they feared further destabilisation of Ukraine. | President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement they feared further destabilisation of Ukraine. |
| The two leaders also said local referendums in eastern Ukraine planned for Sunday would be illegal. | The two leaders also said local referendums in eastern Ukraine planned for Sunday would be illegal. |
| They called for a visible reduction in Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. | They called for a visible reduction in Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. |
| Russia is estimated by Nato to have some 40,000 troops near the border, though Moscow says they have been pulled back. | |
| The statement was issued after the two leaders met in Chancellor Merkel's constituency in Germany. | |
| "If there is not an internationally recognised presidential election, that would lead unavoidably to a further destabilisation of the country," it said. | |
| "Germany and France are in agreement that if that is the case then corresponding consequences would be drawn as outlined by the European Council on March 6, 2014." | |
| Correspondents take this to mean economic sanctions against Russia already authorised by European leaders in March. | |
| Both the European Union and the United States have already imposed sanctions targeting officials and companies linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin. | |
| But the joint statement also called on the Ukrainian government to refrain from military action before the poll, except when needed to protect people or property. | |
| All sides should start disarming irregular forces supervised by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe by 15 May at the latest and halt acts of violence, the statement went on. | |
| Ukraine is currently engaged in an "anti-terror" operation in the east of the country to disarm pro-Russian separatists and remove them from buildings they are occupying in at least a dozen towns and cities. |