US President Barack Obama says there is room for Ukraine to be a friend with both the West and Russia. Speaking on Tuesday, Obama urged Russia not to interfere, while admitting Russia has legitimate interests there.
"There is the ability for Ukraine to be a friend of the West and a friend of Russia’s as long as none of us are inside of Ukraine trying to meddle and intervene, certainly not militarily with decisions that properly belong to the Ukrainian people. I think everybody recognises that although Russia has legitimate interests in what happens in a neighbouring state, that does not give it the right to use force as a means of exerting influence inside of that state," he said.