KIEV
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday threatened Russia with isolation if the conflict intensified in eastern Ukraine.
The vice president said Russia would pay a high cost for escalating the conflict, and urged the Kremlin to abide by the September 5 truce agreed between the government and pro-Russian separatists in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
In addition, Biden said his government would not recognize the elections organized by the separatists in early November, just a week after the Kiev government held its own official general elections on October 26.
He said the international community would not recognize the "so-called" elections and described the elections as "undemocratic."
Biden's remarks came at a press conference following a meeting with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko behind closed doors in the capital Kiev.
At the press conference, Biden reaffirmed that his government would not recognize the annexation of the Crimea by Russia.
Russia took over the Ukrainian region in March, after a controversial referendum vote was held. International observers objected to the referendum because Russian soldiers occupied the region during the voting.
Poroshenko, for his part, said the Minsk agreement was the more appropriate basis for settling these issues, and that the implementation of the articles of the agreement was a matter of priority.
The Minsk agreement was signed after extensive talks between Russia, Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Ukrainian president said that he discussed a number of issues with Biden, including security, defense, energy and financial aid during their meeting.
More than 4,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Ukraine since April.
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