Lavrov warns European stability at risk

Global powers need to be ready if tensions rise over Ukraine: Obama

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday warned that European stability was being threatened by rising anti-Russian sentiment over the Ukraine crisis, as US President Barack Obama threatened new sanctions against Moscow.

"The current inflaming of anti-Russian sentiments takes place against a background of a spike in racism and xenophobia in many European countries, an increase in the number of ultra-radical groups and the turning of a blind eye to neo-Nazi phenomena, whether in Ukraine or elsewhere," he said.

Russia's top diplomat, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency, added that this "carries an obvious threat to European stability".

Lavrov spoke after Obama threatened a third round of sanctions against Moscow if it escalates tensions over Ukraine, whose government it does not recognize.

In a phone call on Thursday, Obama told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Washington and its allies should prepare new sanctions against Russia if it escalates the crisis over Ukraine.

"The president underscored the need for the United States, European Union and other global partners to be prepared to meet further Russian escalation with additional sanctions," the White House said in a statement.

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, "apparently with support from Moscow, continue an orchestrated campaign of incitement and sabotage to undermine and destabilize the Ukrainian state", it added.

"The leaders again called for Russia to move its troops back from the border region."

Earlier in the day in Washington, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew delivered the same warning to his Russian counterpart, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, ramping up the pressure on Moscow.

Lew met Siluanov in advance of talks between finance ministers and central bank presidents of the Group of Seven major economic powers and a broader Group of 20, which includes the traditional powers and emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India.

Lew's tough language did not find its way into a joint statement from the G7, and there was no hint that sanctions against Russia might be strengthened.

Instead, the G7 statement said the major economic powers had discussed "the situation in Ukraine, its financing needs and the international response".

Washington already has imposed sanctions on some of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies over Moscow's takeover of Ukraine's Russian-speaking Crimean peninsula last month.

Speaking at a meeting with Russian non-governmental organizations, Lavrov said attempts to "legitimize the Maidan government at any cost" should be halted in order to de-escalate the crisis.

In February, a pro-Western popular uprising called the Maidan, after the name of Kiev's central square, ousted Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovych, who has since taken refuge in Russia.

Moscow does not recognize the new authorities in Kiev, accusing them of supporting neo-Nazis and pursuing anti-Russian policies.

Late on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry formally warned Russians against traveling to countries that have an extradition treaty with the US.

(China Daily 04/12/2014 page8)