David Cameron has given his strongest indication yet that the G8 meeting in Russia will be abandoned as diplomatic pressure on Moscow mounted over its intervention in Ukraine.
The prime minister said it was “hard to see” how the gathering of the powerful group of nations could go ahead in Sochi in June, and insisted “nothing should be off the table” in terms of sanctions.
In a day of frantic diplomatic activity, it was announced British observers will form part of an international team of unarmed military monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) being sent to Ukraine at the request of the Kiev government and Nato put its relationship with Russia under review.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, Mr Cameron said it was important that the hastily assembled European Council meeting today showed “unity of purpose and a clear voice”.
“What I think we need to do is first of all be absolutely clear that the status quo we are faced with today, where Russian troops are outside their bases in the Crimea, is unacceptable.
“As I have said, costs and consequences need to follow from that.
“That is why, for instance, we have suspended preparations for the G8 meeting. Indeed, it is hard to see in these circumstances how a G8 meeting can properly go ahead.”
The premier said: “When we look at the diplomatic, economic and political steps we can take, nothing should be off the table.”
Mr Cameron said there had been “some contacts between Russian ministers and Ukrainian ministers”.
“There has been some progress in putting together a contact group … to start having a group of countries around Russia and Ukraine to encourage such dialogue to take place. That is the single most important thing that could happen to de-escalate the situation,” he said.
Russia declined to attend a meeting convened under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum in Paris yesterday morning, which provided Ukraine with assurances of security and territorial integrity when it gave up its nuclear weapons.
Foreign Secretary William Hague, US secretary of state John Kerry and Ukrainian interim foreign minister Andriy Deshchytsia released a joint statement following the meeting, voicing “deep regret” at Russia’s failure to attend.
The statement recalled that the 1994 agreement committed the UK, US and Russia to “refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine’s territorial integrity”, adding: “The three governments treat these assurances with utmost seriousness, and expect Russia to as well.
“Russia has chosen to act unilaterally and militarily. The United Kingdom and United States will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and we commend the new Ukrainian government for not taking actions that might escalate the situation.
“Russia’s continued violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity can only degrade Russia’s international standing and lead to greater political and economic consequences.”
The three foreign ministers called on Russia to engage in direct talks with Ukraine and agreed that international observers should be deployed immediately in Ukraine, especially in eastern Ukraine and Crimea.
Speaking in Madrid en route to a separate round of talks in Paris, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov repeated president Vladimir Putin’s denial that the soldiers operating in uniforms without insignia were Russian troops, or under Moscow’s control.
Troops of the Black Sea fleet had stepped up security around Russian military facilities in Crimea but had not deployed outside their bases, he said.
Mr Lavrov said he would tell his Western counterparts that the “unbreachable foundation” for a resolution to the crisis should be the implementation of the February 21 agreement reached between ousted president Viktor Yanukovych and protesters and signed by France, Germany and Poland in the presence of a Russian mediator, which provided for a return to Ukraine’s old constitution and presidential elections by the end of the year.
Within hours of the deal, Mr Yanukovych had left Kiev and his regime crumbled as protesters stormed government buildings.
“The way out is possible on the basis of the agreement of February 21,” said Mr Lavrov.
“What has been agreed should be implemented.”
The OSCE announced it is sending a 35-strong delegation of monitors to the Ukraine.
This followed a meeting of the body’s permanent council and forum for security co-operation at a meeting in Vienna yesterday. The group of unarmed military personnel drawn from 18 countries, including the UK, will use a week-long visit to “dispel concerns about unusual military activities”.
Meanwhile the European Union proposed an aid package for Ukraine worth up to 11billion euros (£9billion) to help “stabilise its economic and financial situation” and agreed an asset freeze on 18 people suspected of “misappropriating” funds.