Vladimir Putin the President of Russia has assured Angela Merkel the German Chancellor that Russia was not interested in breaking apart Ukraine. This announcement came amidst increasing concern internationally after men armed with weapons occupied airports in Crimea the pro-Russia region of Ukraine.
Merkel was concerned over the events taking place in Crimea said one of her spokespersons at a news conference. The spokesperson said that Putin told Merkel he accepted Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
These comments come as military soldiers in uniforms that were unmarked took positions at Sevastipol’s Belbek airport, where a naval base is leased by Russia and at the Simferopol airport. Simferopol is the administrative capital of Crimea.
The Interior Minister said the occupation of the airport took place a day after armed men took the one government building and put a flag from Russia on its roof.
The events in Crimea have raised concerns of leaders in the West. They worry Russia could encourage separatism within the region, which was ceded by Russia to the Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine 60 years ago.
European diplomats and their counterparts in Germany said that Merkel has taken the informal lead as a key link between Western leaders and President Putin since the crisis boiled over in Ukraine last week, when troops fired upon protesters in the central square of Kiev.
Merkel spoke with Putin on repeated occasions since then. She has said Russia should help to stabilize Ukraine financially and politically, as well as protect the territorial integrity. She also has appealed to Kiev’s new regime to reach out to its segment of the overall population that is pro-Russian.
Germany had said any financial assistance for Kiev from Europe is conditional on Ukraine obtaining loan monies through the International Monetary Fund.
Officials in Germany said that other conditions included the formation of government that was inclusive and a commitment of financial help by Russia.
The new government in Ukraine requested an IMF bailout as it struggles with the decision by Russia to freeze funding support of $15 billion that was promised in 2013.
Roxanne Briean
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