22:01
4.6.2014
Here's the story RFE/RL correspondent Carl Schreck filed tonight from Brussels, where G7 leaders kicked off a working dinner at which the Ukrainian crisis was listed among the topics of discussion:
BRUSSELS -- The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial countries have convened in Brussels to discuss their response to Russia's annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea territory and what they call Moscow’s deliberate campaign to destabilize its ex-Soviet neighbor.
The Ukraine crisis was expected to be the focus of the working dinner, with leaders discussing political support for Ukraine and potential further sanctions against Russia should circumstances warrant such a response.
Russia had originally been slated to host the summit in its Black Sea resort of Sochi, but G7 leaders later moved the meeting to Brussels and disinvited Moscow as punishment for the Crimea annexation in March.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said prior to the working dinner that the G7 must continue to pressure Russia while simultaneously bolstering Ukraine and its newly elected president, Petro Poroshenko.
U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Brussels hours before the dinner after a visit to Poland, where he reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering" commitment to the security of Poland and other Eastern and Central European NATO allies after Russia’s Ukraine intervention.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered a positive assessment of the G7 countries’ response to the Ukraine crisis.
She added: “We will firstly consider how we can further support Ukraine after the election of a new president there. Secondly, we will continue talks with Russia about the necessary measures. And thirdly, we will make clear again, if all that doesn't help, that new sanctions [against Russia] are an option."
EU President Herman Van Rompuy said he would attend Poroshenko’s inauguration in Kyiv on June 7 to demonstrate EU solidarity with Ukraine.
He added that the EU intends to sign the rest of an association agreement with Kyiv.
Russia has fiercely opposed the political and trade pacts that compose the agreement, which Moscow sees as a Western attempt to undermine Russian influence in Ukraine.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States has embarked on a conscious effort to damage Russia’s interests, including in Ukraine.
The G7 leaders are scheduled to hold discussions on June 5 as well. They are expected to address the global economy as well as energy and climate change, among other issues.
The Ukraine crisis was expected to be the focus of the working dinner, with leaders discussing political support for Ukraine and potential further sanctions against Russia should circumstances warrant such a response.
Russia had originally been slated to host the summit in its Black Sea resort of Sochi, but G7 leaders later moved the meeting to Brussels and disinvited Moscow as punishment for the Crimea annexation in March.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said prior to the working dinner that the G7 must continue to pressure Russia while simultaneously bolstering Ukraine and its newly elected president, Petro Poroshenko.
U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Brussels hours before the dinner after a visit to Poland, where he reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering" commitment to the security of Poland and other Eastern and Central European NATO allies after Russia’s Ukraine intervention.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered a positive assessment of the G7 countries’ response to the Ukraine crisis.
She added: “We will firstly consider how we can further support Ukraine after the election of a new president there. Secondly, we will continue talks with Russia about the necessary measures. And thirdly, we will make clear again, if all that doesn't help, that new sanctions [against Russia] are an option."
EU President Herman Van Rompuy said he would attend Poroshenko’s inauguration in Kyiv on June 7 to demonstrate EU solidarity with Ukraine.
He added that the EU intends to sign the rest of an association agreement with Kyiv.
Russia has fiercely opposed the political and trade pacts that compose the agreement, which Moscow sees as a Western attempt to undermine Russian influence in Ukraine.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States has embarked on a conscious effort to damage Russia’s interests, including in Ukraine.
The G7 leaders are scheduled to hold discussions on June 5 as well. They are expected to address the global economy as well as energy and climate change, among other issues.
21:51
4.6.2014
21:16
4.6.2014
Our correspondent in Brussels Carl Schreck filed this tonight:
BRUSSELS -- The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial countries are meeting in Brussels to discuss their response to Russia's annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea territory in March and what they call Moscow's deliberate campaign to destabilize Ukraine.
The Ukraine crisis is expected to be the focus of the June 4 working dinner, with leaders set to discuss political support for Ukraine and potential further sanctions against Russia should circumstances warrant such a response.
Russia had originally been slated to host the summit its Black Sea resort of Sochi, but G7 leaders later moved the meeting to Brussels and disinvited Moscow as punishment for the Crimea annexation.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said prior to the working dinner that the G7 must deter Russia “from further interfering in Ukraine’s internal affairs and from supporting armed separatist forces."
The Ukraine crisis is expected to be the focus of the June 4 working dinner, with leaders set to discuss political support for Ukraine and potential further sanctions against Russia should circumstances warrant such a response.
Russia had originally been slated to host the summit its Black Sea resort of Sochi, but G7 leaders later moved the meeting to Brussels and disinvited Moscow as punishment for the Crimea annexation.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said prior to the working dinner that the G7 must deter Russia “from further interfering in Ukraine’s internal affairs and from supporting armed separatist forces."
21:15
4.6.2014
Via AP and Reuters:
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the Ukraine crisis has been provoked by Western efforts to pull the country into its sphere of influence.
In a foreign policy speech in Moscow today, Lavrov accused the West of trying to create a buffer zone around Russia, ignoring Russia's interests, and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
“The course on limiting Russia's opportunities is not spearheaded by the European countries but primarily by the United States,” he added.
Lavrov also reiterated his call on the West to urge the Ukrainian government to end its military operation in the east.
Kyiv and its Western allies accuse Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea territory in March, of backing a pro-Moscow separatists in the country's east.
In a foreign policy speech in Moscow today, Lavrov accused the West of trying to create a buffer zone around Russia, ignoring Russia's interests, and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
“The course on limiting Russia's opportunities is not spearheaded by the European countries but primarily by the United States,” he added.
Lavrov also reiterated his call on the West to urge the Ukrainian government to end its military operation in the east.
Kyiv and its Western allies accuse Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea territory in March, of backing a pro-Moscow separatists in the country's east.
21:14
4.6.2014
From Reuters and our newsroom:
Kyiv has rejected a Russian draft resolution to the UN Security Council, saying there is no civil war and no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia circulated a draft resolution to the council two days ago calling for an immediate end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine and seeking to create corridors to allow civilians to escape the violence.
Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev told a news conference at the UN on June 4 that this resolution is unnecessary because there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sergeyev also described the resolution as “politically motivated."
Kyiv has rejected a Russian draft resolution to the UN Security Council, saying there is no civil war and no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia circulated a draft resolution to the council two days ago calling for an immediate end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine and seeking to create corridors to allow civilians to escape the violence.
Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev told a news conference at the UN on June 4 that this resolution is unnecessary because there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sergeyev also described the resolution as “politically motivated."
20:13
4.6.2014
19:47
4.6.2014
Russian state broadcaster Voice Of Russia has published an interview with Sergei Lavrov in which he appears to want it both ways. The Russian foreign minister simultaneously accuses the United States of "trying to prevent the unification of the potentials of Russia and the EU" while suggesting those same "Western partners promoted [their] own agenda ignoring the interests of Russia, enlarged NATO and generally ran things to bring the geopolitical space they control to the very Russian borders."
He suggests Washington and "EU members extremely loyal to the U.S." initiated the Eastern Partnership in order to create "a new 'cordon sanitaire between the EU and our country."
18:52
4.6.2014
18:50
4.6.2014
For the #makemusicnotwar file:
18:21
4.6.2014
President-elect Poroshenko says that today he discussed his peace proposal for Ukraine -- which he plans to introduce after his inauguration later this week -- with U.S., European, and Canadian leaders.
He says those discussions will continue in France, where leaders are scheduled to attend World War II anniversary events this week.
He says those discussions will continue in France, where leaders are scheduled to attend World War II anniversary events this week.