Russia warned over E. Ukraine referendum

Mariupol: France and Germany  on Saturday threatened Russia with “consequences” if Moscow disrupts Ukrainian Presidential elections later this month, stepping up diplomatic pressure on the eve of “illegal” referendums the West fears will split the country apart.

In a joint statement, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel also urged Ukraine’s security forces to stop their offensive on rebel held positions in the run-up to the planned May 25 Presidential part.

The warnings suggested the West might soon move to broaden its sanctions regime to include whole sections of the recession-threatened Russian economy.

But the call for the pro-Western government in Kiev to roll back its military action echoes a similar statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin  who said that further fights will destabilise Uk-raine further.