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Ukraine’s acting president pledges to strengthen defence

KIEV, March 17, /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s parliament-appointed acting president, Alexander Turchinov, said in a TV address on Monday that Ukraine was ready for talks but would not agree to the annexation of its territory.

“The government is searching for funds to strengthen its armed forces. A resolution adopted today provides for cutting expenses on state administration in the first place. We are not going to economise on security and defence,” Turchinov stressed.

He pledged that Ukraine would do everything to find a diplomatic settlement to the current crisis.

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