Another meeting has been called to address the situation between Ukraine and Russia.  The meeting will take place in Geneva and will be with the foreign ministers of the European Union.  The Council was in unanimous favor of holding a second meeting after the first round of talks took place on April 17 that involved contributors from Russia, the European Union, Ukraine and the United States.  The previous meeting was set together to discuss ending the violence of the coup-imposed regime brought on with opposition towards Ukraine.  The four party group asked for militants to be disarmed in an effort to keep from violence, provocations and extremism.

A RiaNovosti article mentioned that even though there were promises made by Kiev to lay down their arms, the authorities of Kiev put forth a large-scale operation of a military nature into Ukraine’s southeastern regions.  This was said to be done in an effort to lower the level of federalization supporters and keep more from rising up.  With this, dozens have died and Moscow and its authorities have publicly condemned military force and its uses in the eastern part of the country.  On Sunday, May 11, the Kiev government explained that they were in the last phase of “anti-terrorist” operations for the southeastern part of the country in the restive territories.  This act would deny any of the regions in the east of Ukraine a right to hold legal referendums in the country.

While there was a consensus that the new meeting should take place by the four representatives, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, mentioned that he would not see any benefit to have four party talks again as he didn’t they they would “yield any new results.”  The Organization for security and Cooperation in Europe Chair Didier Burkhalter agreed with this statement.