Russia boycotts nuclear summit, Ukraine sends troops to east

(Vatican Radio) Officials say Russia has informed the United States that it will boycott the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit amid escalating tensions over Moscow's perceived role in the conflict in Ukraine. The announcement came while Western-backed Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered army reinforcements to key southern and eastern cities in his nation's war-torn east, amid fears of a new rebel offensive. 

Poroshenko said additional troops would be deployed to boost security around the cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kharkiv and north of the Luhansk region.

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

Shortly before the announcement, he said he and his security chiefs would hold an emergency meeting amid concerns over ongoing clashes between government troops and pro-Russian separatists.   

“I do not exclude that the outcome of today’s meeting of the Security Council will be the significant strengthening of control at checkpoints, in order to restrict movements of those who can pose a threat by sending reconnaissance and sabotage groups,” he said. 

CANCEL LAW

Poroshenko also wants to scrap a recently adopted law, which gives “special status” to the east of Ukraine, including self-governance in parts of what is known as the Donbass region. 

He spoke amid concerns of a possible new rebel offensive following Sunday's elections in rebel-controlled areas, which the United States and European Union considered to be illegal but which were backed by Russia.     

Alexander Zakharchenko was inaugurated president of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic while fellow separatist leader Igor Plotnitsky was sworn in as president of what rebels call the Luhansk People's Republic.  

Fighting between their forces and Ukrainian government troops have already killed more than 4,000 people and Kiev fears a new rebel offensive. 

PLANE CRASH

The clashes have hampered an international investigation at the site where Western officials believe a Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down by Russia-backed rebels, charges Moscow denies. 

On Tuesday, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxima expressed their sorrow over the nearly 300 people who died in the July 17 disaster, most of them Dutch nationals. 

"If we see a mother who lost her two sons... As a mother myself I can only understand her," said Queen Maxima ahead of a national day of mourning in the Netherlands.  

The crisis in Ukraine has turned into a major geopolitical crisis: Russia's decision not to attend the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit is expected to hurt efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism.

Moscow was already absent from last week's initial summit planning session in Washington but had left it unclear whether Russia planned to attend the summit itself.