TODAY: Pro-Russia protesters storm Ukraine government buildings, Kiev blames Putin; Nato urges members to boost armed forces, Georgia and Azerbaijan worried; Merkel says E.U. ready with sanctions; Yatsenyuk rejects new Gazprom prices; Bush paints Putin.

Ukraine’s acting president, Olexander Turchynov, called an emergency meeting after pro-Russian rallies in the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Lugansk ended with protesters storming regional government buildings, and reportedly demanding a referendum on joining Russia.  (Some footage is available here.) Ukraine accused President Vladimir Putin of ‘order[ing] and pa[ying] for the latest wave of separatist disorder.’ The Times called the protests ‘an echo of the demonstrations that preceded last month’s annexation of Crimea’.  The Secretary-General of Nato says its members countries must boost their armed forces to protect against the threat of Russian aggression.  Both Georgia and Azerbaijan are reportedly worried about Russia’s next moves: ‘Azerbaijan’s position is complicated by the fact that it […] has pursued an independent foreign policy.’  Surrounding regions need U.S. support, says this piece.  Europe’s foreign ministers met in Athens to discuss the crisis, concluding that Russia needs to defuse tensions, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the E.U. would make good on its promise to introduce tougher sanctions if Russia makes any further moves into Ukrainian territory.  U.S. intelligence is apparently unable to predict Putin’s next moves, with further action widely expected but difficult to foresee.