Ukraine crisis: Ukraine PM says Russia wants to start World War II
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is accusing Russia of wanting to occupy Ukraine "militarily and politically," as both Kyiv and Moscow mass troops close to their mutual border. Yatsenyuk warned Friday that Russia's actions could lead to a wider military conflict in Europe. He told an interim Cabinet meeting that Moscow "wants to start World War III." His strong statement came amid a sharp escalation in tensions. Russia's defense chief ordered new military drills Thursday near the border with eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian forces said they killed five pro-Russian militants in an operation to clear roadblocks near the city of Slavyansk. Yatsenyuk said he'd asked Russia to explain the presence of its troops on Ukraine's border within 48 hours -- but 24 hours later, Kiev is still waiting for an official response. At the same time, he said, the world is lined up with Kiev in its efforts to restore stability and preserve "the system of world security that Russia wants to destroy." U.S. President Barack Obama also criticized what he called Russia's "further meddling" in eastern Ukraine, where armed, pro-Russian separatists have occupied government buildings. Speaking in Seoul, Obama said he would talk to "key European leaders" later Friday about implementing wider sanctions in the event Russia further escalates the situation. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin must decide whether he wants to see his country's already fragile economy weakened further because he failed to act diplomatically in Ukraine. His comments echoed that of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who said Thursday that Moscow is making "an expensive mistake" by failing to restrain the separatists.
