A spokesman for President Obama couldn’t identify a U.S. national security interest in Ukraine, emphasizing an American desire to support human rights rather than a “old Cold War” rivalry with Russia.

“This is something that we’re monitoring,” White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said when asked if the Kiev protests impact U.S. national security. “This idea of ‘spheres of influence’ is a pretty outdated notion,” he added when pressed about Russia’s interest in Ukraine.