Czech PM calls for political solution to Ukrainian crisis

Speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels on Saturday the Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, called for a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis. He pointed out that the mutual implementation of sanctions between the EU and Russia had done nothing to stop the violence in Ukraine and the situation was fast spiraling out of control. The Czech prime minister said the EU must initiate political negotiations with Russia before resorting to broader sanctions in order to break the circle of threats and violence. In this connection Mr. Sobotka criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for further escalating the tension by reminding the world that Russia was a nuclear power.