You're reading: White House urges Ukrainian army not to get involved in political conflict

The White House has called on the Ukrainian army not to get involved in a conflict that has to be resolved politically.  

A respective statement has been posted on the Web site of U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration.

“We urge the Ukrainian military not to get involved in a conflict that can and should be resolved by political means. The use of force will not resolve the crisis – clear steps must be taken to stop the violence and initiate meaningful dialogue that reduces tension and addresses the grievances of the Ukrainian people,” reads the statement.

However, the White House said that the United States was “outraged by the images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic weapons on their own people.”

“We urge President Yanukovych to immediately withdraw his security forces from downtown Kyiv and to respect the right of peaceful protest, and we urge protesters to express themselves peacefully,” reads the statement.

The U.S. side expressed its intention “to work with our European allies to hold those responsible for violence accountable and to help the Ukrainian people get a unified and independent Ukraine back on the path to a better future.”