May Election Will Play 'Crucial Role'
German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier is in the Ukrainian capital , Kiev , amid fresh attempts to find a diplomatic solution
On Monday , Pro Russia activists in the East declared a separate state , which wanted to join Russia after holding votes on self rule on Sunday
Kiev , the U.S. and E.U. say the referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk were illegal
In Kiev , Mr. Stenmeier met acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenly Yatsenyuk and foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsyu
He added he hoped steps in Ukraine would "bring back occupied territory , disarm armed groups step by step and reinstall the authority of the state"
Later , the Russian Foreign Ministry said fresh E.U. sanctions would hinder efforts to defuse the crisis
It urged the West to pursuade Kiev to hold discussions on Ukraine's future structure and regional rights before the May 25th election
The results of Sunday's referendums "should be a clear signal to Kiev of the depth of the crisis " in Ukrine , it said in a statement
Meanwhile , Russia's gas company , Gazprom , has asked Ukraine to pay $ 1.66bn (£ 1bn) for gas deliveries in June , "taking into account non working days , ( Ukrainian gas company) Naftogaz should pay this bill by June 2nd and starting from June 3rd the company will be getting gas only at the volumes paid for" Gazprom said in a statement
On Monday , the E.U. added 13 people and two businesses to it's sanctions list for "undermining or threatening" Ukraine's sovereignty
Earlier on Tuesday , a separatist leader called on Russia to "absorb" the Eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk , armed separatists remain in control of many official buildings across Eastern Ukraine
Moscow annexed Ukraine's Southern autonomous Republic of Crimea in March following a controversial referendum
The Ukrainian government fears a similar outcome in Donetsk , Luhansk and parts of Southern Ukraine
Mr. Steinmeier's trip is to support a national "round table" under the auspice of the OSCE
The OSCE has issued a statement saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was "supportive" of it's roadmap to defuse the crisis
Germany , France and the U.K. also suggested that Russia would be further punished if it undermined Ukraine's planned Presidential elections on May 25th
Separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk say 89% and 96% respectivly voted in favour of "self rule" in the referendums
Pro Russia activits in Luhansk declared independence after the referendum , self declared Donetsk People's Republic leader Denis Puhilin urged Moscow to listen to the "will of the people" , he said he was not calling for Russian military intervention , but that"peacekeppers" may be needed , Moscow has not responded to the comments
Nato believes some 40,000 Russian troops are deployed near Ukraine's border , although Moscow says they have been pulled back