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Biden to visit Poland and Lithuania for Ukraine talks

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 15.03.2014 07:46
The White House says US vice-president Joe Biden will be in Warsaw and Lithuanian capital Vilnius from 17 to 19 March to "consult on steps to support Ukrainian sovereignty".

US
US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) and US Vice President Joe Biden (L) listen a US President Barack Obama (not pictured), with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (not pictured), delivers remarks after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA 12 March: photo - EPA/SHAWN THEW

While in the region, Biden will meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Bronislaw Komorowski and the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.

"During his meetings, the Vice President will consult on steps to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirm our collective defense commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty and our enduring support for all of our allies and partners in Europe," the White House said in a statement released late Friday.

Earlier, Polish Radio reported that diplomatic sources said that the vice-president will be in Warsaw next Tuesday.

The trip to Central Europe will come after a referendum in Crimea - which western leaders and the interim Ukrainian government have declared illegal - on whether to leave Ukraine and become part of the Russian Federation.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov failed to reach agreement on how to resolve the Ukraine crisis on Friday, with Russia saying they would support any result of the Crimean referendum.

The EU said this week that if progress was not made immediately in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine then further sanctions will be imposed on Moscow.

The tension in the east of Ukraine worsened yesterday when two people were killed in clashes between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian activists in the city of Kharkiv, local mayor Hennadiy Kernes has said.

Five people were also injured overnight, as gunshots were fired, witnesses say.

Violent clashes have also taken place in the city of Donetsk this week. (pg)

tags: Ukraine
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