Washington: The White House Tuesday supported the crackdown of the interim Ukrainian government against the pro-Russian groups, arguing that the former has responsibility to enforce law and order inside the country.
"The Ukrainian government has a responsibility to provide law and order, and these provocations in eastern Ukraine are creating a situation in which the government has to respond.
The best way to deescalate the situation is for the armed militants to leave the buildings they have seized," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.
Carney said the government of Ukraine is working to try to calm the situation in the east.
"The Ukrainian government has repeatedly sought to negotiate with the armed groups that have seized public buildings and established unauthorized roadblocks in eastern Ukraine in an effort to resolve the situation peacefully through dialogue.
Ukrainian officials have even offered amnesty to those occupying the government buildings," he said.
The White House appreciated the government`s statements that any actions it undertakes will be gradual and responsible.
"We agree that the use of force is not a preferred option," he added.
"We strongly support the government`s efforts to move forward on constitutional reform, on elections, and on decentralization, which can help unify the country and provide a constitutional, legal mechanism for people to make their views known," he noted.
The US, he said, has been in regular consultation with Ukrainian government officials and has been actively supporting the Ukrainian government in its efforts to right the Ukrainian economy.
"We have moved forward in signing an agreement that would provide a billion dollars in loan guarantees to Ukraine.
We have counseled restraint in the handling of this crisis by the Ukrainian government, and we have been admiring of the restraint that the Ukrainian government has shown," he said.
The United States, he said, urged the Ukrainian government to move forward gradually,responsibly and with all due caution as it deals with this situation.
"So these aren`t peaceful demonstrators we`re talking about unfortunately.
And yet Ukraine has proceeded with great caution, has for days now, been offering amnesty, dialogue, has been trying to resolve these conflicts peacefully," he said.
