2017届高考英语二轮复习阅读理解素材：67

美国对乌克兰局势表示“极大的担忧”

The US has voiced "great concern" about heightened tension in eastern Ukraine after pro-Russia demonstrators seized government buildings in three cities.

乌克兰国内亲俄派示威者占领了东部三座城市的政府建筑，美国对此紧张的局势表示“极大的担忧”。

US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a phone call that any Russian efforts at destabilisation "would incur costs".

They discussed the possibility of direct talks within the next 10 days.

Ukraine is sending security officials to Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv, after buildings there were stormed.

Rebels occupying Donetsk's regional government building declared a "people's republic" on Monday and called for a referendum on secession from Ukraine to be held by 11 May.

Russia recently annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, where the majority of people are Russian speakers, following a referendum that Kiev and the West say was illegal.

Moscow now has thousands of troops massed along its border with eastern Ukraine. Although it insists it has no intention of invading Ukraine, it says it reserves the right to defend ethnic Russians in the country.

Russia is refusing to recognise the new authorities in Kiev who took power after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February.