EU calls on Russia to help end fighting in Ukraine

JOHN-THOR DAHLBURG

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders on Tuesday hailed the presidential election in Ukraine and called on Russia to do what it can to end the fighting in the country’s east.

Leaders of the 28 EU countries, meeting in Brussels, said they expect Russia to cooperate with Ukraine’s “newly elected and legitimate president,” Petro Poroshenko, winner of Sunday’s elections.

In a statement, the EU heads of state and government said Moscow should also “use its leverage on the armed separatists to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine.”

The European leaders said that as a priority, Russia should prevent separatists and weapons from crossing the border into Ukraine. Russian troops should also continue to withdraw from areas near Ukraine, where NATO has said they have been exerting a coercive influence, the EU leaders said.

“We encourage the Russian Federation to enter into a frank and open dialogue” with the Kiev government, they added.

The EU and Russia have been at odds over Ukraine for months. The refusal of Ukraine’s former elected president to enter into an association agreement with the trade bloc and opt instead for closer ties with Russia sparked large protests that drove him from office, and set the stage for Russia’s unilateral annexation of Crimea.

EU leaders on Tuesday pledged continued assistance to Ukraine, and said they were looking forward to “working closely” with Poroshenko. But they also said Ukraine must do more to fight corruption, reform the judiciary and police and improve the business climate.

To help Ukraine, the European Union has already disbursed the first installment of macro-financial assistance totaling 1.61 billion euros ($2.2 billion). On Tuesday, the EU’s executive arm recommended a further step toward ultimately allowing visa-free travel by Ukrainian citizens.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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