MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia broke his silence on the crisis in Ukraine on Friday morning with a statement instructing his government to “continue contacts with partners in Kiev” and to work with international bodies to provide financial assistance for the country.
EuroMaidan Revolution
New York Times: Putin pledges aid to Ukraine but next steps unclear
UKRAINE, Simferopol : Policemen stand guard in front of the Crimean parliament behind a placard reading \"Crimea is Russia\" in Simferopol on February 27, 2014. Ukraine's ousted pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych emerged defiant on February 27 from five days in hiding as the country's new leaders issued a blunt warning to Russia against any aggression on the volatile Crimean peninsula. Anxious Western governments voiced fears about the \"dangerous\" situation in Crimea after dozens of pro-Kremlin gunmen in combat fatigues seized government buildings in the autonomous republic and pleaded with Moscow not to escalate tensions. AFP PHOTO / VASILIY BATANOV
