US Secretary of State John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, say they are keen for the choices of Ukrainians to be respected but the two men mean very different things.
Intense talks between the Russian foreign minister and the US Secretary of State in London, aimed at solving the Ukrainian crisis, appear to have made little progress.
In separate press conferences, Mr Lavrov said the talks had been “useful” but there were still “disagreements” and Mr Kerry said the talks had been “constructive” but there had been “no common vision”.
When Mr Lavrov talks of respecting the choices of Ukrainians, he is saying that the Crimean referendum, set to take place on Sunday, should be seen as legitimate.
It means immeasurably more for Russia than the Falklands means for the United Kingdom or Comoros for France. Sergei Lavrov
Mr Lavrov said that Crimea means “immeasurably more” to Russia than the Falklands do to Britain. He said that the dispute over Crimea needed to be looked at in terms of historic precedents – citing territorial examples from Britain and France.
“Are there precedents in international law? There are precedents of course,” he said. “Everybody understands that Crimea for Russia is something really important, what it means for Russia.
“It means immeasurably more for Russia than the Falklands means for the United Kingdom or Comoros for France.”
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When Mr Kerry talks of respecting the choices of Ukrainians, he means the opposite to Mr Lavrov.
“The United States stands with the people of Ukraine in their desire to make their own choices,” he said.
He added that the international community will not recognise the results of the Crimean referendum, and that if the Russian parliament ratifies the Crimean referendum it will amount of “backdoor annexation” of Crimea.
Mr Lavrov was also asked about potential sanctions being placed on the country by the EU and the USA.
The Russian foreign minister said such sanctions would be “counter-productive”.
“Secretary Kerry did not voice any threats against Russia as to the sanctions,” he said. “We live in an information space. We are hearing what is being discussed in Washington or in Europe, and let me assure you that our partners understand that sanctions are a counter-productive instrument.
FactCheck: Crimea - myth and reality
“If the decision is made, it will be their decision. It certainly won’t facilitate, it won’t be helpful in mutual interests of business and developing our cooperation, that’s a fact.”
Mr Kerry said if the “wrong choices are made” then there will be consequence for Russia because of the “gravity” of the challenges to global legal norms.
“We believe the consequences will be felt in many parts of the world,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the talks between the US and Russia would be “formidably difficult”.
He also reinforced the UK’s view that the Crimea referendum is not legitimate.
“This is a referendum which doesn’t meet any international norm or standards. It’s taking place without a campaign, without an electoral roll, without the political leaders of the country being able to visit, in the presence of many thousands of troops from a foreign country,” Mr Hague said.
“Holding that this Sunday has, in effect, created a diplomatic deadline for these talks before other measures need to be taken.”