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Ashton urges Russia to start direct dialogue with Ukraine

“I call upon Russia to meet with Ukrainian politicians to find away to deescalate this crisis,” Catherine Ashton said

Catherine Ashton EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

Catherine Ashton

© EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

BRUSSELS, March 17. /ITAR-TASS/. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has urged Russia launch a direct dialogue with Ukraine.

Russia should start a dialogue with Ukrainian leaders and continue talks with the international community in order to search for ways to resolve the crisis by political means, Ashton said on Monday.

“I call upon Russia to meet with Ukrainian politicians to find away to deescalate this crisis,” Catherine Ashton said prior to the meeting of 28 leaders of EU members in Brussels.

Finally, Ukraine needs good relations with Russia like as with the European Union and the rest of the world, the EU foreign policy chief said.

Answering a question on what Russian officials could be included in the sanctions list by the EU, Ashton said that ambassadors of the EU member-countries had held an efficient meeting on Sunday evening to prepare proposals for the EU Council for foreign policy, but the decision would be taken on Monday by the foreign ministers.

"We have to think very carefully about what we do," she added. She noted that due to the seriousness of the situation, a dialogue is needed to overcome the crisis, so that Ukraine’s territorial integrity would be observed.

Catherine Ashton has recalled the stance of the EU saying that the referendum, which took place in Crimea on Sunday, March 16, violated the Ukrainian Constitution and international laws, nd it could not be deemed legitimate.

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