Section: KXAN (USA)
Kerry: US, Europe not divided over Ukraine response
MUNICH (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is denying that the United States and Europe are divided over how to respond to the crisis in Ukraine and how to deal with Russia’s role in it. Speaking to an international security conference in Munich on Sunday, Kerry said the U.S. and its European allies are “united in our diplomacy” on...
Ukraine president pushes for fast cease-fire, defensive arms
MUNICH (AP) — Ukraine’s president is pushing for both a quick cease-fire in his country’s troubled east and defensive weapons from the West, as mediators sought momentum Saturday for a deal to stem the fighting at Europe’s edge. Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin are to confer with the leaders of Germany and...
Kerry’s breaking news to Russian minister: new grandchild
MUNICH (AP) — Tensions between the United States and Russia are running high over Ukraine but that didn’t stop U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry from sharing some personal news with Russia’s foreign minister. Kerry’s a grandfather — again. Kerry and Sergey Lavrov (SEHR’-gay LAHV’-rahf) were meeting in Munich on...
Ukraine diplomatic flurry goes into new round in Germany
MUNICH (AP) — A flurry of diplomacy aimed at calming the conflict in Ukraine will bring German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and other players together at a conference in Germany. Merkel was to speak Saturday at the Munich Security Conference following a dash to Moscow the previous night with France’s...
AP Interview: NATO head says Ukraine ceasefire top priority
MUNICH (AP) — The head of NATO said Friday his top priority is supporting French and German efforts to bring about a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, but if a truce is negotiated it must be monitored so the Russian-backed separatists don’t use it to regroup and rearm. Speaking to The Associated Press on the sidelines of the Munich Security...
First time in 13 years: Afghanistan not on NATO agenda
BRUSSELS (AP) — The war in Afghanistan is in NATO’s rearview mirror. For the first time in 13 years, the conflict was not on the meeting agenda as the alliance’s defense ministers gathered in Brussels Thursday. Instead NATO members focused on the latest military conflicts facing the alliance — the threat of Islamic extremists flowing...
Biden casts doubt on Putin’s peace commitment in Ukraine
BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is questioning the willingness of Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek peace in Ukraine as the leaders of Germany and France are seeking such a deal in Moscow. Biden said Friday at European Union headquarters in Brussels that Putin “continues to call for new peace plans as his troops roll through...
Merkel: Germany, France to use ‘all power” for Ukraine peace
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she and French President Francois Hollande will “use all our power” on their visit to Moscow to try and stop the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine. Speaking Friday before flying to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin, Merkel said she couldn’t speculate on whether she and Hollande, who...
Diplomatic push for Ukraine peace focus at Munich conference
MUNICH (AP) — Top world leaders, diplomats and defense officials are converging on Munich for a security conference that comes amid a frantic diplomatic push to end the violence in eastern Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was already in Munich on Friday following talks in Kiev the day before, and was planning on meeting with Iranian...
Rebels, Ukrainian forces agree on humanitarian corridor
DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — The pro-Russia rebels in Ukraine say they have reached agreement with government forces on a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from the epicenter of fighting. The move comes as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are set to leave for Moscow to talk with Russian President...
