Hollande, Putin discuss Ukraine situation

French President Francois Hollande and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed, by phone on Monday, the situation in Ukraine. Both France and Russia stress the need to avoid Ukraine's partitioning and maintain its territorial integrity, Hollande's press office said in a statement. The French President "insisted on the need for a peaceful transition and on the importance of ensuring the unity and territorial integrity" of Ukraine. The former Soviet republic has been wracked by a week of violence, the destitution of its president and the deaths of 80 people - police and demonstrators - in violent clashes in the capital, Kiev. Hollande told Putin that the formation of an interim government that represented the largest section of Ukrainians must lead to a presidential election and reforms, according to the statement. Russia has said that the interim government is illegitimate and refuses to recognise it. The French leader also indicated to Putin that "everything must be done so that financial aid is given to Ukraine in this difficult period to accompany its economic modernisation." Russia had offered Ukraine USD 15 billion as a bail-out package but might not disburse all of this because of the latest developments and the ouster of President Viktor Yankuvich, who was close to Moscow. The protests began three months ago after the Ukrainian President refused to adhere to a cooperation agreement offered by the European Union but chose instead to stay with Russian proposals for financial aid. Hollande urged that the European Union and Russia work together in the same direction on the economic front. Both leaders agreed to pursue their consultations on Ukraine as necessary.