Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
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. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Putin to join 4-way phone call on Ukraine peace plan
MOSCOW — Talks among the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on a peace initiative for Ukraine ended early Saturday with an announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart would discuss a proposal to end the fighting in a four-way telephone call this weekend. The planned discussions Sunday involving Putin,...
Rebels, Ukraine government forces jointly evacuate war-hit town
The government-held town of Debaltseve, a key railway junction, has been the epicenter of recent battles between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government troops. Separatist fighters have made advances, taking Vuhlehirsk, a rural settlement 6 miles to the west, as they sought to capture Debaltseve, which links by rail their two main...
AP Interview: NATO head says Ukraine ceasefire top priority
Stoltenberg noted that a previous cease-fire agreement “was undermined and violated by the separatists,” and said observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe would have to be allowed access needed to monitor the implementation of any new agreement. “[…] I will reiterate the importance that Russia...
First time in 13 years: Afghanistan not on NATO agenda
First time in 13 years: NATO members at a meeting that started Thursday have focused instead on the latest military conflicts facing the alliance — the threat of Islamic extremists flowing out of North Africa and the Russian-backed separatists battling Ukraine’s government forces along the country’s eastern border. …read more...
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. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Biden casts doubt on Putin’s peace commitment in Ukraine
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were heading to Moscow on Friday to press for peace in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed rebels were fighting government troops. The United States has been reconsidering whether to provide Ukraine defensive weapons and other lethal aid since the recent spike in violence...
Australia’s polarizing prime minister faces political crisis
Lawmaker Luke Simpkins said Friday in an email to colleagues that he will enter a motion at a ruling Liberal Party meeting calling for Abbott to declare that his job and that of his deputy Julie Bishop are open to a ballot of 102 government lawmakers. Unpopular bills to make the sick pay for medical services that are currently free, and to allow...
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. …read more...
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. …read more Source: San Francisco...
