Section: US & Canada
Bombardier denies role in keeping Russian Railways boss off sanctions list
MONTREAL – Canadian transportation giant Bombardier says it played no role in keeping the boss of Russian Railways off Canada’s sanctions list.”We’re in constant discussions with the Canadian government on our business relationships…but we don’t have any role in who goes on the list or who doesn’t go on...
Russia Demands Probe into U.S. Moon Landing
Russia’s investigative committee spokesman has demanded that an international investigation be launched into the U.S. 1969 moon landings, after a US-led investigation into the world governing body FIFA, cast doubt over the fairness of choosing Russia to host the next World Cup. Nine FIFA officials were implicated in a U.S. and Swiss...
Ukraine’s Poroshenko Offers Ex-British PM Tony Blair a Job
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has offered former British prime minister Tony Blair a job as an advisor as he continued his overhaul of government staff, seeking to increase his country’s effectiveness in responding to Russian aggression. Since last summer, in a bid to increase Kiev’s political ties with the West and strengthen...
Senate Passes Defense Bill Over White House Objections
The U.S. Senate has passed, over White House objections, a $612 billion defense policy bill that calls for arming Ukraine, prevents another round of military base closures, and makes it harder for President Barack Obama to close the prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
US, EU ready tough Russia sanctions, in case they’re needed
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and European governments have readied a new round of penalties against Russia targeting its energy and financial sectors as part of a sanctions-in-waiting strategy that officials hope will enable the West to respond immediately if Moscow-backed insurgents seize more territory in Ukraine. …read more...
The Undiplomatic Diplomat
Russia hawks on Capitol Hill love Victoria Nuland, the State Department’s point person for Ukraine. Many European diplomats feel the opposite. …read more Source: Foreign...
Senate passes $612 billion defense policy bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — Over White House objections, the Senate on Thursday passed a $612 billion defense policy bill that calls for arming Ukraine forces, prevents another round of base closures and makes it harder for President Barack Obama to close the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. …read more Source: CNS...
Putin’s Ally Suggests Russian Leader Could Hold Early Vote
Aleksei Kudrin, a longtime ally of Vladimir Putin, suggested on June 18 that the Russian president could order an early vote to win a mandate for much-needed economic reforms. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Russian And Saudi Arabian Officials Meet In St. Petersburg, Raising Questions About Possible New Alliance
Saudi Arabian and Russian officials took part in a series of high-level talks this month, something which analysts say raises questions about a possible new alliance between Saudi Arabia and Russia — a close American ally and its old, and re-emerging, geopolitical foe. A close relationship between Riyadh and Moscow also could hinder U.S....
Chinese Banks Closed For Russian Business
Here’s still more evidence that at least the financial part of the sanctions on Russia is having an effect: Yuri Soloviev, the deputy chairman of VTB, Russia’s second largest lender, wrote an op-ed to complain about how Chinese financial firms are declining to work with their Russian counterparts these days. In his piece in Finance...
