Section: Kuwait Times (Kuwait)
Estonians vote under shadow of Russia – NATO countering moves by boosting defences
TALLINN: Estonians voted yesterday in an election marked by jitters over a militarily resurgent Russia and a popular pro-Kremlin party, with the security conscious centre-left coalition tipped for a return to power. Moscow’s annexation of Crimea last year and its meddling in eastern Ukraine have galvanised the European Union, including this...
UK to dispatch a team of soldiers to Ukraine for ‘training’ – US furious over Russia’s ‘lies’ on Ukraine
KIEV: The United States expressed fury at Russia’s “lies” over Ukraine after European powers urged a frayed ceasefire be respected, while a rare overnight calm was reported in the war zone yesterday. But the crisis still simmered dangerously. Britain said it was dispatching a team of soldiers to Ukraine for...
Separatists building up arms, forces in south east Ukraine
KIEV: Pro-Russian separatists are building up forces and weapons in Ukraine’s south east and the Ukrainian military said yesterday it was braced for the possibility of a rebel attack on the port city of Mariupol. The Kiev military accused Russia on Friday of sending more tanks and troops towards the rebel-held town of Novoazovsk, further...
West looks impotent as Ukraine ceasefire frays – Pro-Russian rebels continue assault on key transport hub
PARIS: The continued fighting in eastern Ukraine has made a mockery of the West’s latest attempts to negotiate a ceasefire but may ultimately pave the way for a more durable peace, say analysts. It did not take long for the latest truce, brokered by France and Germany and signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk last week, to look as impotent...
Debaltseve under Ukraine rebel control
DEBALTSEVE: Rebel fighters, many of them Cossacks, roamed the streets of Debaltseve yesterday, a day after Ukrainian forces began withdrawing from the besieged town. The mood was celebratory, with fighters laughing, hugging each other and posing for photos. Associated Press journalists drove around half of the town that has been a focal point for...
Ukraine truce fades as fighting rages – Kiev and separatists stall on pulling back big guns
NIKISHINE: Pro-Russian rebels bombarded government troops encircled in east Ukraine yesterday and a plan for both sides to pull back their heavy guns stalled, pushing a fragile peace deal closer to collapse. A Reuters witness near the front line said artillery rounds rocked the town of Debaltseve every five seconds and black smoke rose skywards,...
US urges Russia to implement ceasefire in full – Ukraine rebels disavow ceasefire
DONETSK/ARTEMIVSK: Ukraine’s rebels disavowed a new truce yesterday hours after it took effect, saying it did not apply to the town where most fighting has taken place in recent weeks. Guns fell abruptly silent at midnight across much of eastern Ukraine in line with the ceasefire agreement, reached after a week of diplomacy led by France...
Ukraine fighting kills 28 as clock ticks to ceasefire
DONETSK: Fighting raged in Ukraine yesterday, throwing doubts on a ceasefire deal due to take effect over the weekend, as the US said Russia was still deploying heavy arms and Kiev warned that shelling of civilians had intensified. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the continuing bombardment of civilians in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian...
Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine seal deal ‘Glimmer of hope’ for Ukraine
MINSK: Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal that offers a “glimmer of hope” for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks. But big hurdles remained on the path to peace and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the sponsors of the talks, differed with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the...
Greece braces for bailout showdown with EU – Markets spooked by renewed Grexit prospects
BRUSSELS: Greece’s new government headed for a showdown with skeptical European partners yesterday as it took its demands to renegotiate its huge bailout to crunch talks in Brussels. The emergency meeting of eurozone finance ministers promises to be bruising, with Greek demands for a cash lifeline and a relaxation of austerity facing...
