09:58
5.4.2014
Via the "Kyiv Post," Westinghopuse and Ukraine close to nuclear fuel deal:
The American Westinghouse Electric Co. is on the brink of inking a deal with Ukraine that would not only extend its contract to supply the country’s nuclear reactors with fuel, but increase the number of reactors to which it supplies fuel as well as the frequency of fuel deliveries here through 2020, according to a company official involved in negotiations.
Michael Kirst, Westinghouse vice president of customer relations and sales in the region, told the Kyiv Post on April 4 that the deal between the company and Ukrainian energy operator Energoatom is in its final stages.
Michael Kirst, Westinghouse vice president of customer relations and sales in the region, told the Kyiv Post on April 4 that the deal between the company and Ukrainian energy operator Energoatom is in its final stages.
09:45
5.4.2014
The Ukrainian Football Federation says it is holding on to Crimea's teams, the Kyiv Post reports:
The head of Ukraine’s football governing body dispelled rumors that he gave the green light for Crimean soccer clubs to compete in Russia’s soccer league during the March 27 Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) congress in Astana, Kazakhstan.
“I didn’t meet with anyone and speak on the topic of where Tavria (Simferopol) and FC Sevastopol should play,” said Anatoliy Konkov, president of the Football Federation of Ukraine. “The FFU will never give any guarantees to clubs that take part in the Ukrainian Premier League. If they want to leave on their own then they won’t play anywhere. Tavria and Sevastopol are Ukrainian (soccer) clubs, therefore they should play in the (Ukrainian) Premier League.”
“I didn’t meet with anyone and speak on the topic of where Tavria (Simferopol) and FC Sevastopol should play,” said Anatoliy Konkov, president of the Football Federation of Ukraine. “The FFU will never give any guarantees to clubs that take part in the Ukrainian Premier League. If they want to leave on their own then they won’t play anywhere. Tavria and Sevastopol are Ukrainian (soccer) clubs, therefore they should play in the (Ukrainian) Premier League.”
09:41
5.4.2014
Did the Kremlin just defend Adolf Hitler?
Vladimir Kara-Murza has an interesting blog post up at World Affairs Journal looking at an article in the pro-Kremlin daily "Izvestia" by Andranik Migranyan. In the article, Migranyan, who heads the New York office of Russia's "Institute for Democracy and Cooperation," writes that it is necessary to distinguish between the "good Hitler" and the "bad Hitler."
Here's the money quote from Migranyan's Izvestiya article:
Migranyan's article was an attack on Russian historian Andrei Zubov, who was fired by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations after, in an op-ed in the daily "Vedomosti," comparing Vladimor Putin's annexation of Crimea to Hitler's Anschluss with Austria and annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland and Lithuania’s Klaipeda region in 1938–1939.
Kara-Murza closes out his blog post with this blistering history lesson:
Vladimir Kara-Murza has an interesting blog post up at World Affairs Journal looking at an article in the pro-Kremlin daily "Izvestia" by Andranik Migranyan. In the article, Migranyan, who heads the New York office of Russia's "Institute for Democracy and Cooperation," writes that it is necessary to distinguish between the "good Hitler" and the "bad Hitler."
Here's the money quote from Migranyan's Izvestiya article:
“We should distinguish between Hitler before 1939 and Hitler after 1939, and separate chaff from grain. The fact is that while Hitler was gathering German lands; if he… were known only for uniting, without a single drop of blood, Germany with Austria, Sudetenland with Germany, Memel [the German name for Klaipeda] with Germany, in effect achieving what Bismarck could not; and if Hitler stopped at that, he would be remembered in his country’s history as a politician of the highest order.”
Migranyan's article was an attack on Russian historian Andrei Zubov, who was fired by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations after, in an op-ed in the daily "Vedomosti," comparing Vladimor Putin's annexation of Crimea to Hitler's Anschluss with Austria and annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland and Lithuania’s Klaipeda region in 1938–1939.
Kara-Murza closes out his blog post with this blistering history lesson:
Perhaps someone could remind Andranik Migranyan and his Kremlin overseers of the track record of this “politician of the highest order” and “gatherer of German lands” prior to 1939—including the establishment of concentration camps and the public burning of books; the purges of “non-Aryans” and the creation of the Gestapo; the closure of newspapers and political parties and the establishment of a one-man dictatorship; the Nuremberg racial laws and Kristallnacht. But of course they already know that.
09:20
5.4.2014
Good morning and welcome to RFE/RL's Live Blog on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Here are some recent stories from RFE/RL's News Desk:
Biden, Yatsenyuk Discuss Loans, Energy Security
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk have spoken by phone in the wake of a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund. In a statement Friday, the White House said Biden “expressed support for finalizing the arrangement as soon as possible.” On Thursday, President Barack Obama signed a bill providing Kyiv with $1 billion in loan guarantees. The IMF promised last month to loan up to $18 billion to cash-strapped Ukraine. The loan hinges on structural reforms that Kyiv has pledged to undertake. It will help prop up Ukraine's struggling economy following three months of antigovernment protests and Russia's annexation of Crimea. In Friday's call, Biden also “emphasized the importance of improving Ukraine’s energy security,” and said he welcomed “preparations for free and fair” presidential elections on May 25.
Moody's Cuts Ukraine's Credit Rating
The rating firm Moody's has lowered Ukraine's credit rating from “Caa2” to “Caa3,” and put the country on a "negative" outlook for further downgrades. Moody's said Friday that three factors drove the downgrade: the “escalation of Ukraine's political crisis” as reflected by the recent regime change in Kyiv and Russia’s annexation of Crimea; Ukraine's strained external liquidity, given the continued decline in foreign-currency reserves, the withdrawal of Russia's financial support, and a rise in gas import prices; Ukraine's eroding fiscal strength. Moody's predicted the debt-to-GDP ratio would rise to 60 percent by the end of 2014, up from 40.5 percent at the end of 2013. Moody's previously downgraded Ukraine's government bond rating in January.
Biden, Yatsenyuk Discuss Loans, Energy Security
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk have spoken by phone in the wake of a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund. In a statement Friday, the White House said Biden “expressed support for finalizing the arrangement as soon as possible.” On Thursday, President Barack Obama signed a bill providing Kyiv with $1 billion in loan guarantees. The IMF promised last month to loan up to $18 billion to cash-strapped Ukraine. The loan hinges on structural reforms that Kyiv has pledged to undertake. It will help prop up Ukraine's struggling economy following three months of antigovernment protests and Russia's annexation of Crimea. In Friday's call, Biden also “emphasized the importance of improving Ukraine’s energy security,” and said he welcomed “preparations for free and fair” presidential elections on May 25.
Moody's Cuts Ukraine's Credit Rating
The rating firm Moody's has lowered Ukraine's credit rating from “Caa2” to “Caa3,” and put the country on a "negative" outlook for further downgrades. Moody's said Friday that three factors drove the downgrade: the “escalation of Ukraine's political crisis” as reflected by the recent regime change in Kyiv and Russia’s annexation of Crimea; Ukraine's strained external liquidity, given the continued decline in foreign-currency reserves, the withdrawal of Russia's financial support, and a rise in gas import prices; Ukraine's eroding fiscal strength. Moody's predicted the debt-to-GDP ratio would rise to 60 percent by the end of 2014, up from 40.5 percent at the end of 2013. Moody's previously downgraded Ukraine's government bond rating in January.
20:10
4.4.2014
From our news desk:
The new U.S. ambassador to the European Union says the Ukraine crisis has given a boost to relations between Washington and Brussels.
Anthony Luzzatto Gardner said Friday that Russia's annexation of Crimea "confirmed" the importance of the role of NATO in the West and helped "to reinforce trans-Atlantic ties.”
He also praised the EU’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
The EU has imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and signed an association agreement with Ukraine, even though the bloc relies on Russian gas imports.
Gardner said the EU appeared to be operating more effectively than 20 years ago, when he said it was more difficult for the bloc to agree on a common view.
The ambassador said the crisis has added impetus to talks on a U.S.-EU free trade pact.
Anthony Luzzatto Gardner said Friday that Russia's annexation of Crimea "confirmed" the importance of the role of NATO in the West and helped "to reinforce trans-Atlantic ties.”
He also praised the EU’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
The EU has imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and signed an association agreement with Ukraine, even though the bloc relies on Russian gas imports.
Gardner said the EU appeared to be operating more effectively than 20 years ago, when he said it was more difficult for the bloc to agree on a common view.
The ambassador said the crisis has added impetus to talks on a U.S.-EU free trade pact.
17:36
4.4.2014
Good news for Ukraine's boycotters who still like a tipple: "Forbes" in Ukraine has come up with five suitable substitutes for Russian vodka:
1. French grape vodka -- made from Mouzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes, France's Ciroc vodka boasts a "mild citrusy aroma and a fresh taste." Added bonus: it's gluten-free!
2. Vodka 02 from England -- reminiscent of Willy Wonka's fizzy lifting drinks, O2 is a "sparkling" vodka, carbonated with oxygen. Its creators say the bubbles will make it even more alcoholic.
3. Arkhi Mongolian vodka -- distilled fermented goat milk that really packs a punch. Tasting more like skim milk and served by the teacup, this potable is called "tricky vodka" for a reason.
4. Black vodka -- the sinister-sounding Blavod, distilled in the U.K., gets its color from Black Catechu, an extract from the heartwood of Burmese catechu acacia trees. Obviously.
5. Iceberg vodka -- this Canadian potable is made with pure water harvested from 12,000-year-old ice from Newfoundland's Iceberg Alley. The marketing slogan: "The tip of the iceberg is best served with an olive."
1. French grape vodka -- made from Mouzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes, France's Ciroc vodka boasts a "mild citrusy aroma and a fresh taste." Added bonus: it's gluten-free!
2. Vodka 02 from England -- reminiscent of Willy Wonka's fizzy lifting drinks, O2 is a "sparkling" vodka, carbonated with oxygen. Its creators say the bubbles will make it even more alcoholic.
3. Arkhi Mongolian vodka -- distilled fermented goat milk that really packs a punch. Tasting more like skim milk and served by the teacup, this potable is called "tricky vodka" for a reason.
4. Black vodka -- the sinister-sounding Blavod, distilled in the U.K., gets its color from Black Catechu, an extract from the heartwood of Burmese catechu acacia trees. Obviously.
5. Iceberg vodka -- this Canadian potable is made with pure water harvested from 12,000-year-old ice from Newfoundland's Iceberg Alley. The marketing slogan: "The tip of the iceberg is best served with an olive."
17:04
4.4.2014
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on Friday announced that he is prepared to take Moscow's side in all issues that affect Russia.
"No matter what I do today -- talking to Ukraine, the West, the East, and so on -- when it comes to Russia, I will not take a single step without first receiving the consent of the leadership of the Russian Federation.
Lukashenka also attempted to drown any speculation that Belarus was attempting to use Russia's standoff with Ukraine to its own advantage.
"If Russia needs us to work for it in Ukraine, we'll do it. If Russia needs us to travel to a distant land for its benefit, we'll do it." He added, "It's in the interests of our brother Russia, and in the interests of Belarus, and there's no contradiction in that."
16:27
4.4.2014
From the news desk:
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on minority issues has announced a visit to Ukraine to investigate the concerns of the country’s minority communities.
Rita Izsak is expected to visit from April 7-13. In a written statement, the Hungarian expert said she intends to “consult widely with national, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities to hear first-hand their issues and concerns.”
She said recent developments in Ukraine “make an impartial assessment of the actual situation on the ground essential.”
Izsak is expected to visit Kyiv, Uzhgorod, Odessa, and Donetsk. The statement said she has also requested access to Crimea, which is under Russian control.
Since the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russia’s annexation of Crimea, concerns have been raised about possible threats faced by Ukraine’s ethnic minorities.
Rita Izsak is expected to visit from April 7-13. In a written statement, the Hungarian expert said she intends to “consult widely with national, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities to hear first-hand their issues and concerns.”
She said recent developments in Ukraine “make an impartial assessment of the actual situation on the ground essential.”
Izsak is expected to visit Kyiv, Uzhgorod, Odessa, and Donetsk. The statement said she has also requested access to Crimea, which is under Russian control.
Since the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russia’s annexation of Crimea, concerns have been raised about possible threats faced by Ukraine’s ethnic minorities.
16:20
4.4.2014
Ukrainian Navy cadets in the Crimean port of Sevastopol today held a formal ceremony of depature before leaving the Black Sea peninsula for Odesa.
Roughly 120 cadets, all students at the city's famed Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute, have opted to leave the school following Russia's military annexation of Crimea. Moscow plans to reopen the school as a Russian institution and gave Ukrainian cadets the option of staying. Many chose to leave, and will continue their studies at the Odesa National Maritime Academy.
Belgian photographer Julie David De Lossy spent time with the Sevastopol cadets in 2012.
You can see a gallery of her photos here:
16:15
4.4.2014
Via Reuters and UNIAN. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says Ukraine has been holding "emergency" talks with neighboring European countries on the possibility of importing natural gas from the West.
The talks were being held after Russia announced steep hikes in the price Ukraine must pay for Russian gas.
Moscow raised its gas tariff for Ukraine twice this week, almost doubling it in three days.
Yatsenyuk said Friday the talks were exploring the possibility that Ukraine could receive "reverse" flows of gas from EU countries, such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland.
Yatsenyuk has condemend the Russian price hikes as a "political" punishment of Ukraine following the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February.
Ukraine relies on Russia for 50 percent of its gas needs, and also acts as a transit country for Russian supplies to the EU.
Moscow raised its gas tariff for Ukraine twice this week, almost doubling it in three days.
Yatsenyuk said Friday the talks were exploring the possibility that Ukraine could receive "reverse" flows of gas from EU countries, such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland.
Yatsenyuk has condemend the Russian price hikes as a "political" punishment of Ukraine following the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February.
Ukraine relies on Russia for 50 percent of its gas needs, and also acts as a transit country for Russian supplies to the EU.