White House Talks Up Aid for Ukraine With Eye on Putin

The Obama administration is pushing Russia to use diplomacy, and urging its European allies to provide economic aid, in an effort to nudge Ukraine toward democracy after its parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovych following violent protests.

With no credible military options, the U.S. and its allies have limited leverage over Russia as Ukraine tries to form a new government and seeks to rescue an economy that parliament Speaker Oleh Turchynov called “catastrophic.”