Ukrainian government officials have discussed ways to end the country's political crisis, as the Kyiv government's election board warned that the pro-Russia separatist insurgency in parts of eastern Ukraine could disrupt next week's presidential elections.
In the eastern city of Kharkiv, meanwhile central government and regional leaders held a second round of unity talks Saturday, but there were no announcements of any progress. Separatist factions that have been involved in attempts to take over Ukrainian government facilities in the east were not invited to take part.
In Kyiv, the Central Election Commission called on the interim central government to take action to ensure security in the east, saying unrest could prevent almost two million people from voting for a new president on May 25.
The commission said it has been unable to prepare for the election in large parts of eastern Ukraine because of threats and "illegal actions" by separatists. Militant pro-Russian groups have taken control of more than a dozen towns and cities since early April.
Despite a month-long offensive, the Ukrainian military has not regained control of the main eastern industrial regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where rebels declared their own independent republics, in defiance of Kyiv and the West.
The West sees the election as crucial to defusing the crisis on Europe's eastern flank, and preventing further disintegration of the Ukrainian state following Russia's annexation of Crimea.
The United States and its allies are pressuring Moscow not to interfere in the Ukrainian presidential election, but a Foreign Ministry statement in Moscow Saturday demanded an immediate to operations in eastern Ukraine by the Kyiv government's troops and air force. The Russian statement questioned how an election could be considered democratic standards if it takes place amid "saber-rattling" and "punitive actions" by the Ukrainian military in the eastern part of the country.
In Washington, the White House said U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by telephone Friday with French President Francois Hollande. Officials said the two leaders "underscored that Russia will face significant additional costs if it continues its provocative and destabilizing behavior" in Ukraine.
Mr. Obama is said to be prepared to order further sanctions that would affect Russia's key economic sectors, including banking, energy and mining.
The May 25 election was called by the new leaders installed in Kyiv after months of sometimes violent protests demanding an end to corrupt and authoritarian practices by the former Ukrainian government, and reversal of that regime's move toward a closer alliance with Russia and away from the European Union. The protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities climaxed in February when Viktor Yanukovych left Ukraine and fled to Russia. He maintained he was still president, but the parliament oin Kyiv stripped him of his office.
