Obama calls Merkel to discuss Ukraine

Washington: US President Barack Obama on Friday called German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the fast deteriorating situation in Ukraine, as both the European Union and America ramped up the pressure on the Ukrainian government.

"They agreed that it is critical that the United States, Germany and the European Union continue to stay in close touch in the days ahead on steps we can take to support an end to the violence and a political solution that is in the best interests of the Ukrainian people," the White House said.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the government of Ukraine has a unique responsibility to allow and protect the rights of assembly and peaceful protest and freedom of speech that the Ukrainian people are seeking.

Earnest, at his daily White House news conference, said Obama has made clear that there are options available to the US, to the international community and to its allies, including those in the EU, to hold accountable who perpetrate

violence against peaceful protesters.

"What the president has been encouraging is for the violence to come to an immediate end and for the government and the opposition to sit down at the table and try to reach a diplomatic solution to this disagreement that would include a

unity government, that would allow the country of Ukraine to be nitrated into the international community and to have solid relationships with their neighbours but also to have solid relationships with countries all around the world," Earnest said.

"That is our longer-term goal here. But anytime that we see that there is this kind of turmoil that has resulted in some basic civil rights being violated is a source of some concern," he told reporters in response to a question.

"What we're seeing in Ukraine is a frustration on the part of the population that their government, that their elected representatives are not reflecting their aspirations and that we're starting to see a rolling back in some of the

basic democratic institutions in that country and it is clear that at least some of the basic human rights that we hold so dear in this country are not being respected in that country," he said.

Expressing concern, Earnest said it is not necessarily related to any effort by former Cold War adversaries to try to gain a foothold in one country or another.

"This shouldn't be a zero sum game, it's in the interests of the international community for peace and stability to be restored in Ukraine and that's what we're striving for," he said.

"It's the view of the president and it's the view of this administration that that stability and peace will only be achieved through conversations and through talks and through a willingness of both the government and the opposition to sit

across the table and try to find some solutions," Earnest said.