09:01
7.4.2014
Presidential hopeful Petro Poroshenko gave a long interview to Reuters yesterday, where he focused on the need to fight corruption. Some highlights.
"My country urgently needs modernization in the sphere of freedoms, in the sphere of economy, in the sphere of social life, in the sphere of security. We want to build up [a] powerful European country, influential player in the region."
"The first step in modernization is huge anti-corruption measures, [that will] restore the trust for the investor and [that will] keep all the investors comfortable in Ukraine."
"Look, this is very easy to imagine: to fly to Kyiv from any European capital is just two hours. You don't need any visa for that, you can come here in a very safe, in a very nice country with a very experienced labor, with a very effective cheap cost for creation of businesses and the only obstacle for doing that is the corruption. That's why this is the top priority [for] the modernization."
"It is impossible to provide security for the country without dialogue with Russia. They should fully understand that this is true. But we have two main criteria, two main factors, we should take into account, Russia should take into account. Point number one: we never ever accept the fact of aggression [on] Crimea."
"Point number two: association agreement [with the EU] which we already signed - [the[ political part, and [the] economic part which will be signed by the new president after 25th of May -- Russia [have to take it] into consideration, Ukraine would be a European country."
"If we [will] be ambitious and if our program [for reforms will] be successful, in the very near future we will ask our European partners to grant us [EU] membership perspective just because Ukrainian people [have passed] a very difficult and very important exam for democracy, and for European values. And the name of this exam was 'revolution', and the price we paid for these exams [was] very high."
"I think there are 30,000 well trained Russian troops concentrated on the borders with Ukraine, a very powerful information attack which is designed for the supporters of the Russian Federation in the center of Ukraine and to destabilize the situation in the nine regions in the east and south which is producing the most serious threat from the Russian Federation since the time of the Cold War."
"My country urgently needs modernization in the sphere of freedoms, in the sphere of economy, in the sphere of social life, in the sphere of security. We want to build up [a] powerful European country, influential player in the region."
"The first step in modernization is huge anti-corruption measures, [that will] restore the trust for the investor and [that will] keep all the investors comfortable in Ukraine."
"Look, this is very easy to imagine: to fly to Kyiv from any European capital is just two hours. You don't need any visa for that, you can come here in a very safe, in a very nice country with a very experienced labor, with a very effective cheap cost for creation of businesses and the only obstacle for doing that is the corruption. That's why this is the top priority [for] the modernization."
"It is impossible to provide security for the country without dialogue with Russia. They should fully understand that this is true. But we have two main criteria, two main factors, we should take into account, Russia should take into account. Point number one: we never ever accept the fact of aggression [on] Crimea."
"Point number two: association agreement [with the EU] which we already signed - [the[ political part, and [the] economic part which will be signed by the new president after 25th of May -- Russia [have to take it] into consideration, Ukraine would be a European country."
"If we [will] be ambitious and if our program [for reforms will] be successful, in the very near future we will ask our European partners to grant us [EU] membership perspective just because Ukrainian people [have passed] a very difficult and very important exam for democracy, and for European values. And the name of this exam was 'revolution', and the price we paid for these exams [was] very high."
"I think there are 30,000 well trained Russian troops concentrated on the borders with Ukraine, a very powerful information attack which is designed for the supporters of the Russian Federation in the center of Ukraine and to destabilize the situation in the nine regions in the east and south which is producing the most serious threat from the Russian Federation since the time of the Cold War."
08:53
7.4.2014
BREAKING: Reports say gunmen have seized the local headquarters of the security services in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk.
08:35
7.4.2014
From the wires:
Russia's consumer protection agency says it has suspended imports from six Ukrainian dairy producers.
Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement it had found that the products violated dairy regulations after conducting laboratory tests.
The agency said in a statement, "To ensure consumer rights Rospotrebnadzor has suspended imports into the Russian Federation of (six) Ukrainian dairy producers."
The move is the latest sign of worsening trade relations between the two countries since Russia annexed Crimea.
Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement it had found that the products violated dairy regulations after conducting laboratory tests.
The agency said in a statement, "To ensure consumer rights Rospotrebnadzor has suspended imports into the Russian Federation of (six) Ukrainian dairy producers."
The move is the latest sign of worsening trade relations between the two countries since Russia annexed Crimea.
08:29
7.4.2014
08:27
7.4.2014
08:13
7.4.2014
07:55
7.4.2014
Interesting, given that Zeman is not known as the harshest critic of the Kremlin. From our news desk:
The president of the Czech President has suggested the West should take strong measures if Russia tries to annex the eastern part of Ukraine.
Milos Zeman told Czech public radio on Sunday that such options should possibly include sending NATO forces to Ukraine.
Last month, Ukraine's region of Crimea voted to join Russia in a hastily organized referendum held as Russian troops patrolled the region.
Zeman's comments come on the same day pro-Russian protesters seized state buildings in three east Ukrainian cities, triggering accusations from the pro-European government in Kyiv that Russian President Vladimir Putin was orchestrating "separatist disorder."
Milos Zeman told Czech public radio on Sunday that such options should possibly include sending NATO forces to Ukraine.
Last month, Ukraine's region of Crimea voted to join Russia in a hastily organized referendum held as Russian troops patrolled the region.
Zeman's comments come on the same day pro-Russian protesters seized state buildings in three east Ukrainian cities, triggering accusations from the pro-European government in Kyiv that Russian President Vladimir Putin was orchestrating "separatist disorder."
07:49
7.4.2014
Good morning. With continued unrest in eastern Ukraine, catch up with our latest news wrap.
21:10
6.4.2014
Barring any further dramatic developments, we're closing the live blog for today. We'll leave you with the latest update from RFE/RL's News Desk, which includes the storming of the regional government building in Kharkiv:
Pro-Russia protesters have stormed government buildings in three major cities in eastern Ukraine.
Several dozen protesters broke through police lines today and entered the regional administration building in Kharkiv.
Police did not use force against the protesters, who raised a Russian flag over the building.
Earlier today, pro-Russian activists seized the regional administration building in Donetsk, and also stormed the state security office in Luhansk.
Some protesters demanded a referendum like the one that resulted in the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea by Russia last month.
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has cancelled a planned trip to Lithuania tomorrow to deal with the unrest.
Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov accused Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych of "ordering and paying for the separatist turmoil" in the east of the country.
Several dozen protesters broke through police lines today and entered the regional administration building in Kharkiv.
Police did not use force against the protesters, who raised a Russian flag over the building.
Earlier today, pro-Russian activists seized the regional administration building in Donetsk, and also stormed the state security office in Luhansk.
Some protesters demanded a referendum like the one that resulted in the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea by Russia last month.
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has cancelled a planned trip to Lithuania tomorrow to deal with the unrest.
Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov accused Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych of "ordering and paying for the separatist turmoil" in the east of the country.
20:45
6.4.2014