Kiev opens talks with pro-Russian activists

Ukrainian leaders have launched negotiations with pro-Russian activists who have occupied public buildings in three eastern cities. On Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Sergey Yarovyj said the talks are underway, with a number of lawmakers being involved in the meeting, Xinhua reported. Yarovyj described the demands of pro-Russian demonstrators as unacceptable but said the government would try to find ways to avoid military confrontation in eastern Ukraine. Pro-Russian protesters have seized government buildings in the cities of Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkiv, demanding a referendum on integrating into Russia. Pro-Russian demonstrations gained momentum in the Eastern European country after Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16. The move sparked angry reactions from the United States and the European Union, both imposing sanctions against a number of Russian officials and authorities in Crimea