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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has expressed hope that a plan to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine, reached Thursday in Geneva, will lead to restoration of peace and security for all citizens of Ukraine. Obama told reporters in Washington that if Russia fails to take steps to defuse the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the United States and Europe will respond with tough measures, but he ruled out a military intervention1.
Obama said the sanctions already imposed on Russia have had a documented impact on its economy, and that additional measures could make the situation worse.
"But we don't have an interest in hurting ordinary Russians just for the sake of it. Our strong preference would be for Mr. Putin to follow through on what is a glimmer2 of hope coming out of these Geneva talks, but we are not going to count on it until we see it," said Obama.
Obama spoke3 after news from Geneva that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and their European counterpart Catherine Ashton had agreed on a plan to de-escalate tensions and prevent bloodshed between Ukrainian military forces and pro-Russian militias4. Lavrov announced after the meeting that the OSCE mission already in Ukraine will monitor the implementation6 of the plan.
"All illegally armed groups must be disarmed8. All illegally seized buildings must be returned to the legitimate9 owners. All streets, squares and other public spaces in all Ukrainian cities must be vacated. An amnesty must be granted to all protesters, except those found guilty of illegal crimes," said Lavrov.
Armed pro-Russian groups have taken over government buildings in many eastern Ukrainian cities and Russia has amassed10 forces along its border with Ukraine, sparking fears of a repeat of the Crimea scenario11.
Former U.S. permanent representative to NATO Kurt Volker does not put much faith in Thursday's agreement with Moscow.
"It is deliberately12 misleading about what’s going on in Ukraine and what its own actions are in Ukraine. And when it says it’s agreed to de-escalation, I am convinced that what Russia means is that they expect Ukraine and the West to de-escalate and allow Russia to go about doing what it’s doing. So I don’t see this agreement is really amounting to very much,” said Volker.
Volker said the U.S. and NATO must show strength and resolve to deter13 Russia from further steps, and that will create stability.
Obama on Thursday promised tough action to deter Russia, but he ruled out any military option.
"Because this is not a situation that would be amenable14 to a clear military solution. What we have to do is to create an environment in which irregular forces disarm7, that the seizing of buildings cease, that a national dialogue by Ukrainians - not by Russian, not by Americans or anybody else but by Ukrainians - takes place," said Obama.
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1 intervention | |
n.介入,干涉,干预 | |
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2 glimmer | |
v.发出闪烁的微光;n.微光,微弱的闪光 | |
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3 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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4 militias | |
n.民兵组织,民兵( militia的名词复数 ) | |
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5 implement | |
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行 | |
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6 implementation | |
n.实施,贯彻 | |
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7 disarm | |
v.解除武装,回复平常的编制,缓和 | |
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8 disarmed | |
v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 );使息怒 | |
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9 legitimate | |
adj.合法的,合理的,合乎逻辑的;v.使合法 | |
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10 amassed | |
v.积累,积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 scenario | |
n.剧本,脚本;概要 | |
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12 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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13 deter | |
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
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14 amenable | |
adj.经得起检验的;顺从的;对负有义务的 | |
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