You're reading: Medvedev: Elections in Ukraine could have been calm if not for states instigating revolt

Ukraine could have had calm elections if it was not for the stance of some states, which instigated the revolt, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

“If it was not for the stance of certain countries, which essentially
instigated these processes and, let’s say openly, assisted the revolt,
everything could have been settled. The elections – presidential
elections and parliamentary elections – could have been conducted
calmly,” Medvedev said at a meeting with regional assets of the United
Russia party.

“Everything was imposed, effectively imposed with use of very specific technologies,” said the Russian head of government.

This is what the Ukrainian people are now paying for, he said.
“Everyone is paying: both those who live in east Ukraine, where,
unfortunately, heavy vehicles have been used until recently and where
artillery and aircraft were used against ordinary people; and other
Ukrainians, even those who religiously believe in the triumph of Western
democracy and the European path of development,” Medvedev said.

Everyone hopes for the situation in Ukraine will settle and return
into the constitutional framework “and for the people who make decisions
in Ukraine – and they are, naturally, the President, Verkhovna Rada,
the Ukrainian government, – no matter how they came to be, heed the
people who have somewhat different ideas about life,” Medvedev said.

Only in this case will it be possible to smooth the situation and
ensure civilian peace, “save lives of old people and children and start
living for the future,” the Russian prime minister said.

“At any rate, this is what we would very much like, though it is
clear that we cannot stay indifferent to what is happening there. Today
this is a pain for huge numbers of our citizens, our people,” Medvedev
said.