The United States is "actively" engaged in preparing new sanctions against Russia. This was stated yesterday by White House spokesman Jay Carney, on the eve of a meeting in Geneva considered by many analysts to be the last chance for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Representatives of Kiev, Moscow and the European Union will also sit at the table. Instead, a TV interview with President Vladimir Putin is scheduled from the Russian capital, a question-and-answer marathon with citizens that will begin at 10 am Italian time. The live broadcast will last about four hours and will be broadcast live on three state televisions and three radios.
“Regarding sanctions, the president was very clear: if Russia does not take advantage of this opportunity (of Geneva, ed) for a desescalation, the costs to be paid will increase,” said a US State Department official traveling for Europe with the head of diplomacy in Washington, John Kerry. "Every time Russia takes measures intended to destabilize Ukraine and violate its sovereignty, there will be consequences," Barack Obama confirmed to CBS.
Meanwhile, at least three people were killed and 13 others were injured in armed clashes between loyalist and pro-Russian forces in southeast Ukraine. This was announced by the Kiev government, explaining that the pro-Russian "attackers" had the worst, about 300 people who attacked a national guard unit in Mariupol during the night. The assault, which continued into the early hours of the morning, was repulsed by loyalist forces, who suffered no losses. More than 60 attackers were detained and arrested, Kyiv Interior Minister Arsen Avakov confirmed on Facebook.
For her part, Yulia Timoshenko has called for the declaration of a state of emergency in eastern Ukraine to allow the armed forces to intervene without restrictions against the pro-Russian rebels who have occupied many administrative buildings. This was reported by the Interfax news agency, specifying that this would lead to the postponement of the presidential elections on May 25, in which the former prime minister of Kiev is a candidate.
