Ukraine Accord Nears Collapse as Biden Meets Kiev Leaders

Story by Bloomberg
Written by Julianna Goldman, Henry Meyer and Daryna Krasnolutska

Masked pro-Russian gunmen guard an entrance of the Ukrainian regional office of the Security Service in Luhansk, Ukraine, on April 21, 2014.Photographer: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo

An agreement to ease tensions in Ukraine showed signs of crumbling as the U.S. and Russia traded blame as Vice President Joe Biden meets government leaders in the Black Sea country.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday “there will be consequences” if Russia fails to act “over the next pivotal days” to restrain pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in Washington. In Moscow, Lavrov called on the U.S. to hold Ukraine’s government accountable for curbing what Russia portrays as right-wing militias.

Pro-Russian forces who seized buildings in at least 10 eastern Ukrainian cities have said they are not bound by the deal reached by Ukraine, the European Union, the U.S. and Russia in Geneva on April 17. The government in Kiev accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of stirring the unrest and exploiting the situation to prepare a potential invasion.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-22/ukraine-accord-nears-collapse-as-biden-makes-stop-in-kiev.html