Section: The Guardian (The United Kingdom)
IMF signs off $17.5bn loan for Ukraine in second attempt to stave off bankruptcy
Four-year bailout programme is expected to unlock further credit from doners and includes immediate $5bn payment to help stabilise conflict-hit economyThe International Monetary Fund has signed off on a $17.5bn (£11.8bn) four-year aid programme for Ukraine, the second attempt in less than a year to help the country avoid bankruptcy. The...
US will send Ukraine small drones and armoured Humvees, officials say
White House concerned that Russian-backed separatists are violating cease-fire agreements in eastern Ukraine and keeping out international monitorsUS vice president Joe Biden told Ukraine’s president on Wednesday the US will send more aid to the country, which US officials said will include small drones and armored Humvees.The White House...
Russia struggling to maintain military operations in Ukraine, says report
Report highlighting extent of Kremlin’s involvement in conflict claims scale of continuing involvement is putting strains on Russian militaryLarge-scale intervention in eastern Ukraine by regular Russian troops began last August, reaching a peak of 10,000 in December, and Moscow has been struggling to maintain operations on such a scale and...
Review: Blueprint for Revolution, a fantastically readable and useful handbook for activists
Want to start a revolution? All you need is Tolkien and Monty Python, according to the man behind the Serbian uprisingsI’ve just read the new book by Srjdja Popovic, one of the Serbian protestors who overthrew Slobodan Milosevic and then went on to train protest movements around the world, and it’s brilliant. First prize for...
Britain should arm Ukraine, says Tory donor
Former Ukrainian businessman argues that Cameron and Obama should send weapons and ammunition to support the government in KievEurope has failed to slay the demons of war – Richard SakwaAs the conflict in Ukraine approaches the one-year mark, the time has come to admit that the current approach of the west is failing. No one can seriously doubt...
Eurosceptics playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands, says Labour
Shadow Europe minister Pat McFadden says it is incoherent for David Cameron to call for tougher European action against Putin and then threaten to leave EUThe willingness of Vladimir Putin to test European resolve has exposed the weakness of the Eurosceptic case and it requires a reinvigorated British membership of the European Union, according...
Pro-Russia fighters have withdrawn weapons, says Ukraine president
‘Russian-backed fighters have withdrawn significant amount’ of weaponry from frontline in east of country, says Petro Poroshenko The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, says pro-Russia rebels have withdrawn a significant amount of weaponry from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine, three weeks after a ceasefire deal was struck.Attacks have...
Frontline Ukraine: ‘How Europe failed to slay the demons of war’
In an extract from his new book, historian Richard Sakwa argues that the current conflict has its roots in the exclusion of Russia from genuine partnerships since the end of the cold war In 2014, history returned to Europe with a vengeance. The crisis over Ukraine brought back not only the spectre but the reality of war, on the 100th anniversary...
Nato, Ukraine and the EU army plan | Letters
The EU was founded to bring peace and prosperity to the peoples of western Europe after a century of catastrophic wars, by co-operation, pooling of sovereignty and free trade. Its first objective, as stated in the Lisbon treaty, is “to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples”. On the global stage its role should be to promote...
Vladimir Putin describes secret meeting when Russia decided to seize Crimea
Documentary shows Russian president discussing how he decided to rescue fleeing Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych President Vladimir Putin has revealed the moment he says he gave the secret order for Russia’s annexation of Crimea and described how Russian troops were ready to fight to rescue Ukraine’s deposed, pro-Moscow president.In...
