By RFE/RL
The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting on the escalating crisis in eastern Ukraine.
The meeting was called for by Russia.
It came after Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov gave pro-Russian separatists until April 14 at 0600 GMT (0800 Prague time) to hand in their weapons and leave government buildings they have occupied in several eastern cities, or face a "large-scale anti-terrorist operation" involving the army.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the Council he was alarmed by Ukraine's announcement.
Churkin said, "Kyiv should stop the use of force against eastern Ukrainian people and start a genuine dialogue."
But U.S. Ambassador to UN Samantha Power said instability in Ukraine is "completely man made," and "it was written and choreographed in and by Russia."
Yuriy Sergeyev, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, also said the crisis was artificially created by Russia, and called on Moscow to "stop immediately actions aimed at undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity."
The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting on the escalating crisis in eastern Ukraine.
The meeting was called for by Russia.
It came after Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov gave pro-Russian separatists until April 14 at 0600 GMT (0800 Prague time) to hand in their weapons and leave government buildings they have occupied in several eastern cities, or face a "large-scale anti-terrorist operation" involving the army.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the Council he was alarmed by Ukraine's announcement.
Churkin said, "Kyiv should stop the use of force against eastern Ukrainian people and start a genuine dialogue."
But U.S. Ambassador to UN Samantha Power said instability in Ukraine is "completely man made," and "it was written and choreographed in and by Russia."
Yuriy Sergeyev, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, also said the crisis was artificially created by Russia, and called on Moscow to "stop immediately actions aimed at undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity."