Europe News
Russia's Medvedev Calls Ukraine a Possible Threat
Russian Prime Minister Questions Legitimacy of New Government
Updated Feb. 24, 2014 11:45 a.m. ET
Ukrainians look at a wanted notice for former
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on the window of a car used as
barricade near Kiev's Independence Square.
Reuters
MOSCOW—Russian Prime Minister
Dmitry Medvedev
on Monday issued a stern assessment of events in Ukraine,
questioning the legitimacy of its nascent government and saying that the
turmoil there poses a threat to Russian interests.
Mr.
Medvedev's harsh remarks represented the highest-level response to come
from Russia since Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych
was overthrown this weekend and cast doubt on hopeful appeals
from the West that Russia play a central role in helping stabilize its
crisis-torn neighbor.
"It is not clear
to us what is going on in the country and there is a real threat to our
interests," Mr. Medvedev told reporters in Sochi, according to a
transcript of his remarks posted on the government website.
While
Mr. Medvedev said Russia is willing to honor all "legally binding"
agreements it made with the previous government, he said Moscow wasn't
prepared to deal with masked men carrying guns.
Public Funerals in Kiev
A man placed a candle at a memorial for the people
killed in clashes at Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday.
Associated Press
"Strictly speaking, today there is no
one to talk to there. The legitimacy of a whole host of government
bodies is raising huge doubts," he said. "If people crossing Kiev in
black masks and Kalashnikov rifles are considered a government, it will
be difficult for us to work with such a government."
Moscow
had stood strongly behind Mr. Yanukovych as he faced increasing unrest
that stemmed from his decision in late November to turn his back on a
long-sought trade partnership with the European Union
in favor of closer economic ties with Russia. Weeks after large-scale
protests erupted in central Kiev, Mr. Yanukovych signed a $15 billion
bailout commitment with Russia as well as a deal on discounted prices
for natural gas.
Ukraine's acting government declared ousted President
Viktor Yanukovych a fugitive and said it was opening a criminal case
into the "mass murder" of civilians stemming from violent clashes in the
capital last week that left dozens dead. Photo: Getty.
As the months passed, the protests
gained momentum and came to a head last week when more than 80 people
were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes with police. On Friday, Mr.
Yanukovych signed a peace agreement with opposition leaders that called
for early elections and constitutional reform, but fled the capital with
his security forces the following day after many of his loyalists
turned their backs on him.
Since then,
the streets of Kiev have been quiet, with shops open for business and
subway service restored. The armed men Mr. Medvedev mentioned are now
nowhere in sight.
Later, Russia's
Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Russia was alarmed by events
in Ukraine, and insisted that the international community recognize the
deal signed on Friday that would have left Mr. Yanukovych in power until
elections in December.
"It is surprising that a number of
European politicians have rushed to support the announcement of
presidential elections in May, even thought the agreement on Friday says
they should only be held after constitutional reform," the statement
said.
Calling protesters who clashed
with police "militant thugs," the ministry expressed its worry about
calls for a ban on Russian language, which is spoken widely in much of
the eastern part of the country. The ministry also admonished the
destruction of statues of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin in various
western Ukrainian cities.
"Militants
have not been disarmed, they refuse to leave the streets, they actually
control administrative buildings and the violence continues," the
ministry said. "People have embarked on dictatorial and sometimes
terrorist methods to suppress dissent in various regions. We have even
heard of threats against Orthodox shrines."
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Eugene Rumer,
director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's
Russia program, said he didn't think Mr. Medvedev's or the foreign
ministry's comments represented Russia's "definitive" position on
Ukraine.
"They are trying to figure out
what's happened and how it fits with their long-term interests and how
best to keep Ukraine in their orbit," he said. "There has been no
definitive statement yet from [President Vladimir] Putin, and until then
it is hard to say what Russia's position is."
"Besides, it would be hopelessly counterproductive for Russia to just cut off Ukraine," he added.
Russia's
finance minister said Sunday that the $15 billion bailout deal would be
put on hold until the situation in Ukraine becomes more clear, but Mr.
Medvedev said Russia intends to honor its "legally binding" agreements.
"Those
agreements which are legally binding must be honored. We are not
cooperating with personalities or isolated individuals. These are
interstate relations," he said. "We are neighbors, close nations, and we
cannot run away from one another."
"For us, Ukraine remains a serious and important partner," he said.
In
addition to the financial aid package, Russia had agreed to supply
Ukraine with discounted gas. Mr. Medvedev said his government would
honor that and when the agreement expires, would be willing to negotiate
a new deal with the new government "if one appears."
Write to Lukas I. Alpert at lukas.alpert@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications
Dmitry Medvedev
is the Russian prime minister. A previous version of this article described him as the president.
| Wall Street Journal | - |
Ukrainians
look at a wanted notice for former Ukrainian President Viktor
Yanukovych on the window of a car used as barricade near Kiev's
Independence Square.
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