WASHINGTON, February 19 (RIA Novosti) – US President Barack Obama on Wednesday urged the Ukrainian government to stem the surge of violence in the ex-Soviet country and warned that there will be “consequences” if the deadly clashes continue.
“We are going to be watching very carefully, and we expect the Ukrainian government to show restraint, to not resort to violence in dealing with peaceful protesters,” Obama said during an official visit to Mexico.
The comments were Obama’s first on the situation in Ukraine after an explosion of violence there Tuesday that left 25 people dead amid clashes between riot police and anti-government demonstrators.
Ukraine’s main government security agency on Wednesday declared what it called a nationwide anti-terrorism operation as authorities attempted to clear a protest camp in the capital Kiev.
Obama said the United States “condemns in strongest terms the violence that’s taking place” in Ukraine and that Washington has been “deeply engaged with our European partners as well as both the Ukrainian government and the opposition to try to assure that that violence ends.”
“We’ll be monitoring very carefully the situation, recognizing, along with our European partners and the international community, there will be consequences if people step over the line,” he said.
The United States expects Ukrainian protesters “to remain peaceful” but is holding the government of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych “primarily responsible for making sure that it is dealing with peaceful protesters in an appropriate way,” Obama said.
“I do think there is still the possibility of a peaceful transition within Ukraine, but it’s going to require the government, in particular, to actively seek that peaceful transition, and it requires the opposition and those on the streets to recognize that violence is not going to be the path by which this issue will be resolved,” he said.
Obama did not specify the nature of the “consequences” Washington might back if the violence is not reined in.
But US Secretary of State John Kerry said earlier Wednesday that American officials are discussing “the possibility of sanctions or other steps with our friends in Europe and elsewhere in order to try to create the environment for compromise.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the violence in Ukraine but accused European leaders of refusing to admit that “radical elements” within the opposition are responsible for the carnage.
