Biden visiting Ukraine a day after violence erupts despite agreement aimed at easing tension

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WASHINGTON – Vice-President Joe Biden was heading to Ukraine to meet with leaders of the turbulent country. His visit comes a day after violence erupted in eastern Ukraine, despite an agreement last week aimed at easing tensions.

Biden plans to meet Tuesday with the acting Ukrainian prime minister and president. He also is scheduled to meet with legislators and democracy activists before returning to Washington Tuesday night.

His office says discussions will cover international efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and energy security and help with constitutional reforms, including next month’s presidential election.

A shootout Sunday at a checkpoint in eastern Ukraine manned by pro-Russia insurgents left at least three dead, and Ukrainian and Russian officials traded accusations of blame. The armed clash followed Thursday’s announcement in Geneva that talks between Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the European Union had produced an agreement to take tentative steps toward calming the volatile situation

Russia’s Foreign Ministry quickly blamed militant Ukrainian nationalists in Sunday’s attack. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Kyiv of “a crude violation of the agreements reached in Geneva” to ease tensions.

“The authorities (in Kyiv) aren’t doing anything, didn’t lift a finger to eliminate the causes that are the basis for the deep crisis today in Ukraine,” he told a news conference.

The Ukrainian Security Service, however, said the attack was staged by provocateurs from outside the country.

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