US: Evidence of Russia Driving Ukraine Unrest

A senior administration official says President Barack Obama has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that while a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine remains open, Russia's actions have not been conducive to that approach.



The official says Monday's phone call between the leaders took place at Russia's request. It comes amid deepening instability in eastern Ukraine, which the U.S. has blamed on Russia.



The official says Obama told Putin that Ukraine's central government has made real offers to address concerns about giving local governments more power. But the official said Obama reiterated his belief that Ukrainians must decide those matters.



The official insisted on anonymity in order to describe the call before details are formally released by the White house.