UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT SETS REFERENDUM.

President Leonid Kuchma announced May 31 that he was calling a referendum June 28 to allow the Ukrainian people to state their level of confidence in him and in the parliament with which he has been at odds. According to Ukrainian radio, Kuchma said that disagreements between the parliament and the president had “paralyzed” the country and prevented him from moving on economic reforms.

Crimea Backs Down.