Pope Urges End to 'Incomprehension' in Ukraine as UK, France Suspend G8 Talks
Pope Francis on Sunday called on all sides in Ukraine to overcome "incomprehension" and appealed to the international community to promote dialogue.
"I ask you again to pray for Ukraine, which is experiencing a delicate situation," Francis said in his weekly Angelus blessing from a window of the Vatican Apostolic Palace overlooking St Peter's Square.
"I hope that all sides in the country work on overcoming incomprehension and build the future of the nation together," Francis said.
"I make a heartfelt appeal to the international community to support any initiative in favour of dialogue and harmony."
Ukraine said Sunday it would call up all military reservists after President Vladimir Putin's threat to invade Russia's neighbor drew a blunt response from U.S. President Barack Obama.
The stark escalation in what threatens to become the worst crisis in relations since the Cold War came as pro-Russian forces seized control of key government buildings and airports in the strategic Crimean peninsula.
Meanwhile, Britain and France decided to suspend their participation in preparatory meetings for the June G8 meeting in Russia's Sochi in a protest move.
"We have suspended our participation in the preparatory meetings taking place in the coming days," a source within the French presidency said, adding that this decision had been taken at a "crisis meeting" between President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
For its part, Britain said it has pulled out of this week's preparatory meetings for the G8 summit in Sochi in protest at Russia's involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
"The UK will join other G8 countries this week in suspending our cooperation under the G8, which Russia chairs this year, including meetings this week for the preparation of the G8 summit," British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters shortly before flying to Kiev.
Also on Sunday, Lithuania recalled its ambassador from Russia for consultations.
In a brief statement, the Baltic nation's foreign ministry said the move was in reaction to "illegal Russian actions against Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Estonia broke away from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991 after five decades of communist rule and joined NATO in 2004.
They have had rocky ties with Moscow since independence and are jittery about Russian military moves in the region.
Lithuania played a key role in efforts to seal a European Union association pact with Ukraine during its stint as EU president last year.
Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's rejection of that deal in favor of an aid agreement with Russia sparked the protests that ultimately led to his ouster last month.
Source: Agence France Presse
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