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Russian president's initiatives may promote deescalation in Ukraine — European Commission

Spokesperson for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy says the European Commission believes the referendum in eastern Ukraine "should not take place"

BRUSSELS, May 08. /ITAR-TASS/. The recent initiatives of the Russian President Vladimir Putin “may promote deescalation of the crisis in Ukraine,” said Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

“We continue to attentively follow the situation and have taken note of Russian president’s statements, including the call to postpone a referendum in Eastern Ukraine, as well as his statement on the intention to withdraw forces from the border with Ukraine,” she said.

“We will watch the actions that will follow after these words,” Kocijancic said.

She also expressed the opinion of the European Commission and the EU foreign policy service that the referendum in the east of Ukraine, scheduled for May 11, "should not take place", because the European Union “fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”