Crimea Latest: Russian Putin Says He And Obama Has No Common Gground On Ukraineian Crisis

Presidents fail to find common ground during second phone call in six days on escalating crisis

Russia and the US are still stuck in a stalemate on Ukraine but relations between the two countries should not be sacrificed because of their differences, Vladimir Putin has said after a phone call with Barack Obama.
President Putin's remarks were carried in a Kremlin statement issued on Friday, following the Thursday night telephone call with President Obama, the Reuters news agency reported.

"The discussion revealed the differences in the approaches and assessments of the crisis and current situation," the statement said.

During the one-hour call the US leader urged his Russian counterpart to engage with diplomatic efforts to defuse a crisis that began with anti-government protests in November and this week escalated with a threat of secession in the strategically-important peninsula of Crimea after armed men seized government buildings and military installations.

Tensions as Ukrainian Government detains Pro-Russian protesters in Donetsk

There were tense scenes in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk as  several dozen pro-Russia protesters were detained during a police operation to  clear demonstrators from the regional administration centre.

The building had been occupied by pro-Russian protesters since Wednesday evening and was taken over by police on Thursday.

Protesters in the ethnic Russian  stronghold demanded a referendum for greater autonomy in the region. Some called for union with Russia. 

"We are all Russians, we are  slavic. We want to live in a big, strong country, not in the divided thumb of
one arm," one local resident said. [AP]

ALJAZEERA

Ukraine Crimea War: EU to postpone sanctions' debate

Hours earlier the EU leaders announced 3-step sanctions against Russia, from political to possible economic measures.

US destroyer "routine visit" on Black Sea. EU to postpone sanctions' debate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YI0qEU9VnnQ#t=0

Moscow accuses Washington of feeding the Ukrainian protests

According the Russian Foreign Ministry, quoted by Itar-Tass: Washington cannot admit, of course, that they themselves were feeding the “Maidan” [protests] and encouraging the overthrow of the legitimate government by force, thus paving the way to those who are posing as the legitimate authorities in Kiev now