US, Russia fail to agree on Ukraine

(Vatican Radio) Talks between United States Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Ukraine Friday ended without an agreement. The talks in London came just two days ahead of a controversial referendum in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula on whether the region should join Russia.


After hours of talks, Lavrov said he and Kerry still disagree on how to solve the crisis in Ukraine. In his words, Russia and the U.S. do "not have a common vision."


In separate remarks, he said there was a rocky road ahead towards a solution. "I am also satisfied to have this meeting today," he said, adding: "This is a difficult situation we are in. Many things have happened and a lots of time has been lost, so now we have to think what can be done."

Lavrov also said that Russia would "respect the will of the people of Crimea" when they vote Sunday on whether to join Russia.


The stalemate in discussions came as a setback for Kerry, who had tried to sound upbeat at the start of the talks on the future of Ukraine, where Russian forces control the Crimean Peninsula.


The West says time is running out. The U.S. and European Union have threatened Russia with sanctions should the referendum in Crimea go ahead. Actions under discussion reportedly include imposing a visa ban on advisers of Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Among the officials who may be refused entry into the U.S. and EU are believed to be the Russian minister of defence, the chief of the presidential staff, the chief of the Russian security council, as well as leaders of Russian energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft.


In a separate incident Thursday, Ukraine's influential oligarch Dmytro Firtash was detained in Vienna, Austria, at the request of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.


Firtash, who worked closely with Russian companies, was detained officially for suspected bribery and setting up a criminal organisation.

Ukraine's interim government is also preparing a response to what it views as a Russian armed invasion.


On Friday, Parliament approved the creation of a 60,000 strong National Guard to be placed under the authority of the interior ministry.

This will absorb the ministry’s controversial Berkut riot police – some 4,000 men – who were linked to recent deadly clashes, which led to the ouster of the pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich.


Listen to the report by Stefan Bos: