Obama tells Russia to pull troops back from Ukrainian border

USA President Barack Obama said Russia needs to pull back troops from the border of Ukraine:

March 28, 2014

U.S. President Barack Obama says Russia must pull back its troops from the Ukrainian border and begin negotiating to defuse tensions.

In an interview with CBS News, Obama said Russia’s military moves may be no more than an effort to intimidate Ukraine. But he added that Russia may have “additional plans.”

On Thursday, the head of Ukraine’s national security council, Andriy Parubiy, said Russia has close to 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders in the north, south, and east. He said Russian forces are in full readiness to strike.

Russia says the soldiers are involved in “springtime exercises” and has assured the United States they will not cross the border.

Western experts believe the number of Russian forces near eastern and southern Ukraine is close to 30,000.

Russia: UN resolution ‘counterproductive’

Also Friday, Russia described as “counterproductive” a U.N. resolution that refuses to recognize its annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the U.N. General Assembly resolution will only complicate efforts to settle Ukraine’s internal political crisis.

The ministry accused Ukraine of seeking to distract from domestic tensions by blaming its problems on Russia.

The U.N. General Assembly passed the non-binding resolution on Thursday, with 100 countries in favor, 11 opposed and 58 abstaining.

Crimea’s majority Russian residents voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum earlier this month that Western powers deemed illegal.

Ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych called Friday for referendums to determine the status of all Ukrainian regions. He said only a nationwide referendum and not an early presidential election can stabilize Ukraine and preserve its sovereignty and integrity.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Russia’s defense minister told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that all Ukrainian servicemen loyal to Kiev had left Crimea and the Russian flag was flying over all military sites on the Black Sea peninsula. http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-uns-crimea-resolution-counterproductive/1881128.html

One suspects that Vladimir Putin is thinking, “so what?” He understands strong action and strong words, but seems to not scared off my rhetoric alone, or rhetoric combined with limited economic sanctions. But he later called US President Obama:

March 28, 2014

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia called President Obama on Friday to discuss a proposal by Mr. Obama for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, and the two leaders agreed that diplomats for both countries should meet soon to discuss it, the White House said.

In a statement from the White House, officials said that the telephone call from the Russian president followed a proposal presented by Secretary of State John Kerry to Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, during talks at the Hague earlier this week.

Officials did not describe details about the proposal… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/world/europe/putin-calls-obama-on-Ukraine.html?_r=0

Russia most likely is carefully considering the best way to get additional territories, and may simply decide to not directly intervene militarily beyond Crimea for a time, in the hopes that parts of Ukraine and Moldova will make more public moves towards Russia. The Bible tells that a final Eurasian confederation led by Russia (Jeremiah 50:41-43) and other kings of the Medes will arise (Jeremiah 51:11-32).

Russia may well move against Ukraine, but likely is weighing the pros and cons right now. Barack Obama’s words will likely not scare it off, unless he backs it up with military action–something that Barack Obama has stated that he will not do related to Ukraine or Crimea.

Some items of related interest may include:

The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Ukraine in Prophecy? What is happening in Ukraine? What is known and what is unsure about its future? What is the origin of those who live in Ukraine? What does the Bible teach about the role of the Medes in the end times? Will Ukraine split? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the European Union? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the Eurasian Union? Is war in the prophesied future for Ukraine? What is the ultimate destiny for nearly all Ukrainians?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.