13:19
4.4.2014
Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak quotes British Foreign Secretary William Hague as telling journalists ahead of an EU foreign ministers' informal meeting in Athens today:
"It is important for us to continue to make it clear that what Russia has done in violating the independence and sovereignty of a neighboring nation state cannot be something that is accepted in Europe in the 21st century. So it is important for us to continue to discuss what we do in the future to reduce Europe's energy dependence on Russia, to make sure that we change balance of leverage between Russia and the EU in the future."
"The phase-two sanctions are important and I think have had some effect. Of course, there will always be a case for amending those or adding to those as the situation develops. I don't think you should expect a decision out of this meeting today about these things. This is of course not a meeting for detailed decisions. It is a meeting for extensive reflection on the situation and coordinating our strategies."
"This moment is not a moment for phase three of sanctions. But they have to be ready because the situation remains very dangerous, it remains very tense. There are very large numbers of Russian forces on the eastern border of Ukraine. Any withdrawal of those forces have been only been a token withdrawal so far. So the position remains as serious as before. We haven't seen real deescalation by Russia. Therefore Europe must not relax."
"The phase-two sanctions are important and I think have had some effect. Of course, there will always be a case for amending those or adding to those as the situation develops. I don't think you should expect a decision out of this meeting today about these things. This is of course not a meeting for detailed decisions. It is a meeting for extensive reflection on the situation and coordinating our strategies."
"This moment is not a moment for phase three of sanctions. But they have to be ready because the situation remains very dangerous, it remains very tense. There are very large numbers of Russian forces on the eastern border of Ukraine. Any withdrawal of those forces have been only been a token withdrawal so far. So the position remains as serious as before. We haven't seen real deescalation by Russia. Therefore Europe must not relax."
13:17
4.4.2014
Russian news agencies report that Belarus will take over this year's CIS chairmanship from Ukraine, which has refused to chair the organization. Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey said at a session of the CIS Foreign Ministers' Council in Moscow today that Belarus as new CIS chairman will support "strengthening of good neighborly relations within the CIS space." Sergei Lebedev, chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, told reporters after the foreign ministers' session in Moscow that the CIS foreign ministers had expressed hopes that Ukraine would remain a member of the organization.
13:06
4.4.2014
13:04
4.4.2014
Two can play at that game! Read RFE's Claire Bigg on the tit-for-tat war of words between Russia and Moscow.
"It would be perfectly natural if Ukrainian became the second state language in Russia, or at least if it had special status," Yatsenyuk said. "We've also asked Russian authorities to open Ukrainian schools."
"It would be perfectly natural if Ukrainian became the second state language in Russia, or at least if it had special status," Yatsenyuk said. "We've also asked Russian authorities to open Ukrainian schools."
12:32
4.4.2014
12:26
4.4.2014
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has vowed to continue to push IMF-imposed austerity measures as Ukraine's "price of independence." In a Reuters interview, Yatsenyuk said the IMF pledge of some $14 billion-$18 billion in return for strict economic reforms by Kyiv would be a "tremendous step forward" for Ukraine. The Ukrainian parliament last week rejected the austerity measures -- which include large increases on the prices of energy for Ukrainians. Yatsenyuk said Ukraine will never recognize Russia's takeover of Crimea in exchange for good relations with Moscow. He described the Crimea seizure as Moscow's "international crime." Yatsenyuk said the occupation of Crimea is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's broader plan to exert greater control over former Soviet republics.
Turning Putin's notorious lament that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was" either "a major geopolitical disaster of the century" or "the greatest geopolitical disaster of the century" (depending on your translation), Yatsenyuk added that the biggest disaster of the 21st century would be "the resurrection of the Soviet Union."
Turning Putin's notorious lament that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was" either "a major geopolitical disaster of the century" or "the greatest geopolitical disaster of the century" (depending on your translation), Yatsenyuk added that the biggest disaster of the 21st century would be "the resurrection of the Soviet Union."
12:20
4.4.2014
Right Front leader and Ukrainian presidential candidate Dmytro Yarosh to give a press conference at 3:30 Kyiv time.
It's unclear whether he'll discuss this:
Russia's Interfax cites an unnamed source as saying Yarosh will soon be put on Interpol's international wanted list for calling on Chechen militia leader Doku Umarov to "activate extremist and terrorist activisites in Russia."
12:11
4.4.2014
On the news that all McDonald's restaurants will be closed in Crimea:
12:07
4.4.2014
Ukraine has announced plans to halt military equipment trading with Russia.
Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema told reporters in Kyiv today that Ukraine cannot make military products for Russia that may later be used against his country. According to Yarema, the decision was made by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Many facilities in Ukraine which are producing military equipment and machinery export their products to Russia.
Yarema said that, in order to avoid losses for the Ukrainian economy caused by the decision, Ukraine is now seriously looking for other markets for the Ukrainian defense industry's products. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists in Moscow today that Ukraine must carry out "real" rather than "cosmetic" constitutional reforms and prove its independence from the West.
We had a terrific story called "Complex Ties: Russia's Armed Forces Depend On Ukraine's Military Industry" by our correspondent Charles Recknagel last month.
And here's an interview correspondent Farangis Najibullah did with Tomas Jermalavicius, a research fellow at the International Center for Defense Studies, on weapons sales and Russia.
Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema told reporters in Kyiv today that Ukraine cannot make military products for Russia that may later be used against his country. According to Yarema, the decision was made by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Many facilities in Ukraine which are producing military equipment and machinery export their products to Russia.
Yarema said that, in order to avoid losses for the Ukrainian economy caused by the decision, Ukraine is now seriously looking for other markets for the Ukrainian defense industry's products. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists in Moscow today that Ukraine must carry out "real" rather than "cosmetic" constitutional reforms and prove its independence from the West.
We had a terrific story called "Complex Ties: Russia's Armed Forces Depend On Ukraine's Military Industry" by our correspondent Charles Recknagel last month.
And here's an interview correspondent Farangis Najibullah did with Tomas Jermalavicius, a research fellow at the International Center for Defense Studies, on weapons sales and Russia.
11:51
4.4.2014
Russian FM Sergei Lavrov says Moscow had nothing to do with sniper attacks in Kyiv:
"Crimes were committed on the Ukrainian territory, not in Russia, and we didn't have anything to do with them and just couldn't have had anything to do with them."