Putin: now is not the time for referendum in Eastern UkraineAfter talks with the head of Switzerland and the OSCE Chairman, Didier Burkhalter, President Vladimir Putin made a number of statements which outlined his position on the Ukrainian issue."Russia believes that the blame for the crisis that originated in Ukraine and is now actively developing according to the most unfavorable scenario lies on those who organized the coup in Kiev on February 22-23 and still have not disarmed the right-wing and nationalist elements," RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.“We are calling on representatives of regions in southeastern Ukraine, supporters of federalization in the country, to postpone the referendum set for May 11 in order to create all the necessary conditions for this dialogue,” Putin also said. A protest leader in Donetsk, Alexander Vaskovsky, said there was no need to put off the vote. “I have not yet seen Putin’s address, but there is no need to do this [postpone the vote]. I’m extremely negative about this,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying. Early presidential elections were scheduled for May 25 in Ukraine after the country’s elected president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in late February following the so-called Euromaidan mass rallies in Kiev.
After talks with the head of Switzerland and the OSCE Chairman, Didier Burkhalter, President Vladimir Putin made a number of statements which outlined his position on the Ukrainian issue.
"Russia believes that the blame for the crisis that originated in Ukraine and is now actively developing according to the most unfavorable scenario lies on those who organized the coup in Kiev on February 22-23 and still have not disarmed the right-wing and nationalist elements," RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.“We are calling on representatives of regions in southeastern Ukraine, supporters of federalization in the country, to postpone the referendum set for May 11 in order to create all the necessary conditions for this dialogue,” Putin also said. A protest leader in Donetsk, Alexander Vaskovsky, said there was no need to put off the vote. “I have not yet seen Putin’s address, but there is no need to do this [postpone the vote]. I’m extremely negative about this,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying. Early presidential elections were scheduled for May 25 in Ukraine after the country’s elected president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in late February following the so-called Euromaidan mass rallies in Kiev.
