Ukraine PM tells Russia to stop provoking conflict in Crimea

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned Russia on Thursday to stop stoking tensions in his country, saying Moscow should embrace a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.Speaking alongside Martin Schulz, president of the EU Parliament, he accused Russia of further "provocations" in Ukraine's Crimea region and urged Moscow to pull back its forces.Schulz said unverified reports had come in only moments before they spoke that Russian soldiers were provoking Ukrainian soldiers and their families."We must take into account that there is a real, dangerous and dramatic situation and tension," he said.At the same time, Schulz promised that Europe stood behind the new government and a peaceful, democratic future for Ukraine."We are behind you and your government, and we support you with all our means," he said.Yatsenyuk said it was in Russia's hands to find a way out of the crisis."Russia, is as always, is reluctant and will try to increase the tension as they did a few hours ago. They resumed the blockade of Ukrainian Naval forces."So they still are provoking the clashes and the tension and we urge the Russian president and the Russian government immediately to pull back its forces and to stick to international agreement that was signed between Ukraine and Russia."Yatsenyuk said repeatedly that the crisis extended beyond the borders of his country, which lies sandwiched between southwestern Russia and Europe."This is not the Ukraine and Russia conflict. This is the conflict in Europe," he said.Ukrainian officials and Western diplomats accuse Russia of sending thousands of troops into the region in the past week -- a claim Russia has denied, while maintaining that it has the right to use military force there if necessary to protect ethnic Russians.Russia says the heavily armed troops in insignia-less uniforms who are blockading Ukrainian military sites are local "self-defense" forces.Russian criticismRussia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier criticized the actions of NATO and a regional security bloc, amid the continued diplomatic wrangling over how to end the tense standoff in Crimea.Lavrov said NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe "are not helping to create an atmosphere of dialogue and constructive cooperation" with regards to Ukraine.Lavrov held talks in Paris on Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and European foreign ministers.But he did not meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Deshchytsia, dashing Western hopes that direct dialogue could begin between the two sides.On a more positive note, Kerry said all sides had agreed "that it is important to try to resolve these issues through dialogue."The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe, a regional security bloc, said Wednesday it had sent 35 unarmed military observers to Odessa, Ukraine, in response to a request from Kiev.The team plans to try to enter Crimea on Thursday, said a spokesman for the security bloc.NATO: Actions have consequencesMeanwhile, NATO warned it was reviewing its relationship with Russia and suspending various joint undertakings.Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters that the international body had decided to "put the entire range of NATO-Russia cooperation under review" to send "a clear message Russia's actions have consequences."Planning for the first NATO-Russia joint mission -- the maritime escort of a U.S. ship involved in neutralizing chemical weapons -- has been suspended, though the decision will not affect the destruction of chemical weapons, he said.And no staff-level civilian or military meetings with Russia will take place "for now," Rasmussen said.Russia's ambassador to NATO criticized the secretary general's statement, saying it was made before his country had a chance to present its side.EU leaders will meet to discuss possible sanctions against Russia later Thursday in Brussels, Belgium.The back-and-forth comes after days of simmering tensions in Ukraine's southern Crimean peninsula.(CNN)ANN.Az