Violence, Propaganda, Diplomacy and Eastern Ukraine

Amid reports that two Ukrainian helicopters were shot down today, President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met at the White House. They warned Russia not to allow disruption of Ukraine's election, planned for May 25, and threatened further sanctions. The President heaped scorn on what he called Russian propaganda about the source of the violence. "The notion that this is some spontaneous uprising in Eastern Ukraine is belied by the fact the evidence, of a well-organized trained militia that have the surface to arm missiles or whatever it takes to shoot down helicopters, tragically."