On Monday, the interim president of Ukraine vowed not to accept a Russian annexation of Crimea and also announced an increase in the military during a standoff with Moscow, according to CNN.
The address from Oleksandr Turchynov was televised on Monday night. He said that the government would do “everything possible” to solve the issues plaguing the region.
He also announced mobilization of the military and said that Ukraine citizens “have to unite in one big family, which is ready to protect its home.”
“The Kremlin is afraid of the democratic future which we are building, and this is the reason for their aggression,” Turchynov said. “But this will not be an obstacle to the building of a democratic country.”
He spoke following the referendum this weekend that received a favorable vote for Crimea to join Russia. The referendum was described as illegal by the United States, Ukraine and the European Union. Sanctions were announced by EU and U.S. officials against Russian officials for their actions in the crisis.
Turchynov said in the address that Ukraine would talk with Russia, “but we will never accept the annexing of our territory.”
President Barack Obama said, “Further provocations will achieve nothing except to further isolate Russia and diminish its place in the world.”
“The international community will continue to stand together to oppose any violations of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continued Russia military intervention in Ukraine will only deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation and exact a greater toll on the Russia economy,” he said.
European Union international policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the sanctions would be issued against 21 people “responsible for actions which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”
“We want to underline very clearly that there is still time to avoid a negative spiral and to reverse current developments,” she said.
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