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Obama urges Putin in phone call to accept terms of diplomatic solution for Ukraine

by Reuters
Thursday, 6 March 2014 23:40 GMT

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to accept the terms of a potential diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis in a phone call that lasted an hour.

In their second phone conversation in the past six days, Obama emphasized to Putin that Russia's incursion into Ukraine was a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the White House said.

During the call, Obama outlined the terms of a diplomatic "off-ramp" that U.S. officials are promoting. Under terms of the deal, Russia would pull back troops to bases in Crimea, allow international monitors in to ensure the rights of ethnic Russians are respected and consent to direct talks with Ukraine officials.

"President Obama indicated that there is a way to resolve the situation diplomatically," the White House said in a statement. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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