Sending peacemaking forces to Ukraine impossible, Ban Ki-moon says

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine was impossible at the moment.

Acting president Alexander Turchynov, who was appointed by the Verkhovna Rada, said earlier in a telephone conversation with Ban Ki-moon that one should conduct  a joint operation in the east of the country together with UN peacekeepers.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Kiev's idea to invite UN peacekeepers "to participate in illegal activities" in Ukraine was totally inappropriate.

As a result, Ban Ki-moon said that sending troops to Ukraine was impossible as it required a UN Security Council mandate.

"Without a clear mandate from the Security Council resolution and I can not take any action," said the Secretary General.