Cameron tells Putin to stop meddling

British Prime Minister David Cameron, right, meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. (AP Photo/ Stefan Rousseau, Pool)

British Prime Minister David Cameron, right, meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. (AP Photo/ Stefan Rousseau, Pool)

Published Jun 5, 2014

Share

Paris - British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow should stop meddling in Ukraine and work with President-elect Petro Poroshenko.

Speaking after the two leaders held a meeting in Paris, Cameron said he gave Putin “a very clear and firm set of messages” that a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis was possible if Russia helped calm the situation.

“The status quo, the situation today, is not acceptable and it needs to change,” Cameron said. “We need the Russians to properly recognise and work with this new president. We need de-escalation, we need to stop arms and people crossing the border. We need action on these fronts.

“There is an opportunity for a successful, peaceful and stable Ukraine especially now there has been a presidential election,” Cameron said.

A day earlier, Britain accused Russia of fomenting unrest in eastern Ukraine with “a torrent of disinformation” and called on Moscow to lean on pro-Russian separatists to end their conflict with government forces.

French President Hollande, criticised at home for a lack of initiative on Ukraine, was due to have a working dinner with U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday before dashing across Paris to join Putin for a second evening meal later.

Reuters

Related Topics: