(VOVworld) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama talked on the phone Monday about the situation in Ukraine. Stressing China's objective and fair stance on Ukraine, Xi said that given the complexity of the Ukrainian situation, it is very important for all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint in order to avoid escalating the crisis. Urging a political and diplomatic solution to the crisis, Xi said China hopes all parties would address their differences through communication and compromise.

Crimea’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Rustam Temirgaliyev said that the Crimean authorities will spend to 2 million US dollars on the March 16th referendum on whether to join Russia. The same day, thousands of people rallied across Russia, in support of the Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine. The biggest rallies took place in Chelyabinsk.