US vice president arrives in Kiev

US Vice-President Joe Biden arrived in Kiev on Monday for talks with Ukrainian leaders on de-escalation of tension and reviving the economy, Itar-tass news agency reported. Biden is due to meet with acting President and acting Prime Minister, as well as representatives of parliamentary blocs and civil society organizations, added tass. The talks will focus on addressing unrest in eastern Ukraine, reviving the economy and holding presidential elections on May 25. Biden's arrival coincided with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's call on his American counterpart John Kerry to exercise pressure on the authorities in Kiev to prevent bloodshed in pro-Russia provinces in eastern Ukraine. Lavrov, cited by an official statement, warned against failure of Kiev to disarm "illegal" armed groups and the release of detainees because it would cast doubts on implementation of the Geneva agreement, which called for the disarmament of gunmen in eastern Ukraine who shold also leave buildings they seized