West Raises Fears of Regional Conflict over Ukraine's Crimea

Anxious Western powers voiced fear over the growing Crimea crisis Thursday, warning Russia not to escalate tensions and telling pro-Moscow separatists they were playing a "dangerous game."

After dozens of pro-Russian gunmen seized government buildings in the volatile peninsula -- raising fears of a full-blown regional conflict -- NATO leader Anders Fogh Rasmussen tweeted his concern and pleaded with Moscow "not to take any action that can escalate tension or create misunderstanding."

Rasmussen later told a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission that developments in Crimea were "dangerous and irresponsible," and pleaded for "all parties to step back from confrontation."

Adding to the tension, Ukraine's interim president Oleksandr Turchynov warned Russia any movement of troops in its Black Sea fleet, which is based in Crimea, would "be considered as military aggression."

Russia, which has announced a major military exercise in the region, said it would abide by treaties governing the fleet.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned Russia to tread carefully.

"I am closely watching the Russian military exercise.... I expect them to be transparent about these activities," he said.

"I urge them not to take steps that could be misinterpreted or lead to miscalculation."

In London, British Prime Minister David Cameron warned Russia to respect Ukraine's sovereignty.

"Every country should respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia has made that commitment and it's important that Russia keeps its word," Cameron said after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Britain also said it was watching Russian military exercises "carefully", a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered snap military drills near the Ukrainian border.

Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who was a key figure in brokering peace last week as Ukraine's three-month crisis reached the boiling point, warned of the dangers of a "regional conflict" over Crimea.

"I warn those who have done this (seized buildings) and those who have facilitated it, that regional conflicts begin this way," he told reporters in Warsaw. "This is a very dangerous game."

Poland's neighbor Lithuania said the events in Crimea were a "provocation."

Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius called on Russia to respond to Thursday's events, saying "the country whose flags were raised must also react to it" -- a reference to the Russian flags hoisted over the seized buildings by the pro-Moscow gunmen.

"This provocation must not sprawl into a regional conflict," said Linkevicius as he landed in Kiev to meet members of Ukraine's new government.

An ex-Soviet satellite and NATO member, Lithuania played a key role in efforts to seal a European Union association pact with Ukraine during its stint as EU president last year.

Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's rejection of that deal in favor of an aid agreement with Russia sparked the protests that ultimately led to his ouster at the weekend.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who was in Tokyo, tweeted: "Priority for new Ukraine government must be to get to the root of all corrupt structures. Billions can be saved. Decent governance started."

Meanwhile in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution calling for urgent short-term financial aid to Ukraine.

Crimea belonged to Russia from the 18th century until 1954, when it was handed to the then Soviet republic of Ukraine as a "gift". Ukraine declared independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.