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                Putin: Normalization of Ties Depends on the West

   Russian President Vladimir Putin says nothing should impede the
   normalization of relations between Russia and the West, after ties have
   hit a post-Cold War low due to the standoff over Ukraine.
   However, Mr. Putin says the normalization of ties does not only depend
   on Russia. He said it depends on the West. Mr. Putin`s comments were
   released by Russian news agencies from a state television interview to
   be broadcast Saturday.
   The Obama administration has warned Russia that it could face
   additional sanctions if it fails to adhere to a new international deal
   on Ukraine or moves its forces on the border into eastern Ukraine.
   U.S. President Barack Obama`s national security advisor, Susan Rice,
   told reporters at the White House Friday that the U.S. has been clear
   that it and its European partners "remain ready to impose additional
   costs on Russia" if it fails to meet its obligations.
   Rice reiterated an earlier statement by State Department spokeswoman
   Jen Psaki that the U.S. believes Russia has a responsibility to use its
   influence to restrain and withdraw the pro-Russian militants occupying
   government buildings in eastern Ukraine.
   But pro-Russian militant leader Denis Pushilin in eastern Ukraine said
   earlier that his men are not bound by the deal and will only stand down
   after the Ukrainian government resigns.
   Thursday`s agreement, which followed talks between Ukraine, Russia, the
   United States and the European Union, calls for all government
   buildings to be evacuated and for the militants to be disarmed.
   But it includes few concrete measures for ending the crisis, and many
   Western leaders are skeptical about Russia holding up its end of the
   bargain.
   Rice said the U.S. will see over the coming days whether Russia upholds
   its agreement, while Psaki told reporters the U.S. is "clear-eyed"
   about Russia`s record of not implementing steps in the past.
   The seven-paragraph agreement does not specifically require Moscow to
   withdraw 40,000 troops massed on its border with Ukraine, and does not
   reference Russia`s annexation of Ukraine`s Crimean peninsula last
   month. It also does not obligate Moscow to hold direct talks with the
   interim government in Kyiv.
   But the four-party statement says monitors from the Organization for
   Security and Cooperation in Europe will immediately begin to put the
   de-escalation measures into place.
   Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke separately following the
   Geneva talks, saying the four parties will work to establish a broad
   national dialogue to ensure protection of Ukrainians` rights.
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   n-the-west/1896803.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/putin-normalization-of-ties-depends-on-the-west/1896803.html