Russia faces Western pressure over Georgia

By Jon Boyle

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will face increased Western pressure on Wednesday when a senior British official flies to Ukraine to build a coalition to counter Russia's conflict with ex-Soviet Georgia.

The United States, NATO and European powers condemned as unacceptable Russia's recognition on Tuesday of two breakaway Georgian regions as independent states, and demanded Moscow recognize Georgia's territorial integrity.

U.S. President George W. Bush condemned Moscow's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, saying they must remain part of Georgia.

"Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations," Bush said in a statement from his Texas ranch.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tbilisi's desire to seize back Abkhazia and South Ossetia by force had killed all hopes for their peaceful co-existence in one state with Georgia.

Russian tanks and troops continue to occupy parts of Georgia after crushing Tbilisi's bid to retake South Ossetia -- the first time Moscow has sent troops into another country since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.

EU president France earlier this month brokered a ceasefire in the conflict and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would talk to Russia's leadership before Monday's emergency EU summit on the crisis to get the bloc's viewpoint across.

"I think each and every member state is very clear ... that it is of the utmost importance to find a common position, and I am going to do whatever I can so that we succeed," she said.

COALITION

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, whose attempt this month to retake South Ossetia sparked the war with Russia, said the fate of the free world was being played out in his country.

"The Russian Federation's actions are an attempt to militarily annex a sovereign nation - the nation of Georgia," he said in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry. "This a challenge to the entire world. Not just Georgia."

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband was due in Kiev to meet the leadership of Ukraine, home to a large Russian-speaking population and a major Russian naval base.

"I am holding talks today with international partners and will be visiting Ukraine ... to ensure the widest possible coalition against Russian aggression in Georgia," Miliband said on Tuesday.

Ukraine, like Georgia, has angered Moscow by actively seeking membership of NATO.

But divisions within the pro-Western camp there may complicate Miliband's mission.