Obama presents "conditions for diplomatic solution"

Obama presents "conditions for diplomatic solution"

MOSCOW, WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone last night for an hour about the situation in Ukraine.

According to reports, they came to no agreement.

In their second phone conversation in the past six days, Obama told Putin that Russia's "entry into Ukraine was a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that state," according to the White House.

On the other hand, the Kremlin announced that Putin said Russia "cannot ignore the calls for help from the Ukraine, but also that the United States and Russia should not sacrifice their relationships."

Moscow has stated Putin said Russia is reacting appropriately to the situation "in the brotherly country" and in accordance with international law.

During the conversation, Obama laid out conditions for a diplomatic solution, advocated by U.S. officials.

According this, Russia would "withdraw its troops to bases in the Crimea," allow international monitors to ensure that the rights of ethnic Russians respected, and agree to direct talks with Ukrainian officials.

A statement from the Kremlin stressed that Putin said relations between the two countries should not suffer because of the Ukrainian crisis.

The Russian president also dismissed claims that Moscow was behind the forces taking over in Crimea and again said that the armed men on the peninsula were "members of the local units of self-defense."

Putin said that Russia wants to cooperate with Western powers, but that any solution of the crisis must be based on the agreement brokered by the EU on February 21, and signed by Ukrainian...