Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
Analysis: NATO expansion at heart of Ukraine crisis
The United States and its European allies, bound together in the NATO alliance to block further Soviet expansion in Europe after World War II. Since the Soviet collapse — as Moscow had feared — that alliance has spread eastward, expanding along a line from Estonia in the north to Romania and Bulgaria in the south. U.S.-Russian relations have...
Ukraine cease-fire deadline provokes bitter last-gasp battle
ARTEMIVSK, Ukraine — Russian-backed separatists mounted a vicious assault Friday in eastern Ukraine ahead of a weekend cease-fire deadline, pummeling a strategic railway hub with wave upon wave of shelling in a last-minute grab for territory. Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted Petro Mekhed, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, as saying that...
Russia says it will not release key Ukrainian prisoner
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian investigators say there are no grounds to release a key Ukrainian prisoner despite claims by Ukraine’s president that she would soon be freed. In a statement posted online Friday, Russia’s Investigative Committee said that only a court could free Nadezhda Savchenko, a Ukrainian air force officer who has been on...
Germany helps eurozone economy pick up speed in 4th quarter
Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency, said economic output across the 18 eurozone countries was 0.3 percent higher in the fourth quarter than the previous three-month period. […] a cease-fire agreement in Ukraine has also eased one of the main uncertainties that have dogged the single currency zone over the past year. …read more...
Ukraine says 8 troops killed in past day despite peace deal
Vladislav Seleznyov, spokesman for the Ukrainian army general staff, said in comments carried by Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Friday that much of the fighting had taken place in Debaltseve, a key transport hub that has been hotly contested in recent days. …read more Source: San Francisco...
A look at who got what in Ukraine peace deal
Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatist forces are to begin an “immediate and comprehensive” cease-fire by the start of Sunday (2 p.m. PST on Saturday). Both sides are to pull heavy weapons back from the front line from 15 miles to 42 miles depending on their caliber, creating a much wider buffer zone than specified under the September...
A look at who got what in peace deal for eastern Ukraine
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — The peace deal for eastern Ukraine agreed Thursday sets clear deadlines for a cease-fire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons, but resolution of the main political and economic issues behind the conflict was made conditional on a series of difficult steps and put off until the end of the year. Both sides are to pull heavy...
IMF earmarks $17.6 billion for Ukraine reforms
BRUSSELS (AP) — The International Monetary Fund has agreed to provide Ukraine with 15.5 billion euros ($17.6 billion) to help support economic reforms. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Leaders in Minsk for marathon Ukraine peace talks
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Marathon talks on ending the war in Ukraine lasted through the night into the 14th hour on Thursday as the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany sought to untangle a complicated skein of military and political issues. Despite the ongoing talks, both rebels and government troops reported fighting across eastern...
Leaders in Minsk for crucial Ukraine peace talks
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Intense talks on ending the war in Ukraine stretched through the night on Thursday as the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany sought to untangle a complicated skein of military and political issues. More than 5,300 people have died since April in the fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists...