The Upper Houce of Russian Parliament, the Federation Council, has recommended Saturday that Moscow's ambassador be recalled from Washington over comments made by President Barack Obama. According to the Federation Council, Obama has issued direct threat to Russia. Upper chamber chair Valentina Matvienko also ordered the Council's foreign affairs committee to ask Putin to recall the Russian ambassador from the United States.
Russian legislator slams Obama for 'direct threat' to Russia
US President Barack Obama's warning that Russia would have to pay for a planned military intervention in Crimea is "a direct threat," a deputy head of Russia's upper house of parliament said on Saturday, saying Obama has "crossed the red line and insulted the Russian people."
"Yesterday we heard from various media sources that the US president, Obama, had said Russia would pay dearly for its policy. We know that Maidan militants who were active in Kiev, and not only there, had been trained in Lithuania and Poland. Now they want to spread their influence with their activities to eastern regions of Ukraine and Crimea," Federation Council Deputy Chairman Yury Vorobyov said at an upper house session.
Vorobyov urged the Federation Council to satisfy a request from President Vladimir Putin for permitting the use of Russian armed forces in Crimea.
"If we don't approve a decision to that effect, it will be a tragedy for the Ukrainian people. I believe that these words of the US president are a direct threat, and he has crossed the red line and insulted the Russian people," Vorobyov said.
He insisted that Russia recall its ambassador from Washington.
Obama urges Russia-US cooperation on Ukraine, calls for joint effort stability
President Barack Obama delivered a statement on the situation in Ukraine on Friday afternoon. Washington will continue to discuss the situation in Ukraine directly with Russia's leadership, US President Barack Obama said. Before the President's speech, US envoy to the UN, Samantha Powers, said that the United States is "deeply concerned" by "facts on the ground" in Ukraine.
"We will continue to discuss the situation with our partners in the EU and to maintain direct contact with the Russian authorities," Obama said.
Obama said that in conversations with Putin he had proposed cooperation.
"I also spoke several days ago with president Putin," Obama said, "and we've made clear that they can be part of an international effort to support the stability and success of a united Ukraine going forward."
"Over the last several days, the United States has been responding to events as they unfold in Ukraine," Obama said.
Throughout this crisis, he said, the United States has consistently said that “the Ukrainian people must have the opportunity to determine” their own government.
In his speech, Obama also claimed that "any violation of Ukrainian sovereignty would be deeply destabilizing."
"It would present a profound interference in matters that must be decided by the Ukrainian people," the President stated.
"Russia has an historic relationship with the Ukraine," Obama acknowledged, noting the Black Sea fleet post in Sevastopol.
As for action that might be taken, Obama sad, "the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any kind of intervention in Ukraine."
Previously, both the Russian foreign ministry and the Russian ambassador to the United Nations pointed to the agreement of 21 February as the key to resolving the Ukraine crisis.
"The best way to resolve the crisis is to look hard" at the agreement signed one week ago, said Vitaly Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, in a news conference following the emergency security council meeting.
When asked about Russia's willingness to intervene militarily, Churkin laughed.
"Really, even the question is aggravating!" he said.
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