Section: The Epoch Times (USA)
Peace Talks Between Ukraine and Russia Start in Belarus
MINSK, Belarus—The much-anticipated talks on a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis began in the capital of Belarus on Wednesday. Representatives of Ukraine, Russia, pro-Russia rebels and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe arrived at the venue in the early evening on Wednesday. Media haven’t been allowed access, and...
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Set to Start in Belarus
MINSK, Belarus—Negotiators are heading to the capital of Belarus for another round of talks about a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Representatives of Ukraine, Russia, pro-Russia rebels and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are to hold the talks in Minsk on Wednesday and on Friday. The negotiations are focusing on...
Russia: NATO Pushed Kiev to Drop Nonaligned Status
MOSCOW— A Russian deputy defense minister says NATO members pushed Ukraine toward dropping its nonaligned status. Ukraine’s parliament abandoned the nonaligned position Tuesday, possibly paving the way for a bid to join NATO, in defiance of Russia’s protests. The move doesn’t guarantee that Ukraine will apply to join the...
Ukraine Abandons Nonaligned Status
KIEV, Ukraine—Ukraine’s parliament dropped the nation’s nonaligned status Tuesday, possibly paving the way for a bid to join NATO in defiance of the Kremlin’s wishes. Russia, meanwhile, finalized a new economic alliance with other former Soviet nations it had vainly hoped Ukraine would join. The parallel moves reflected new...
Russian Opposition Faces Internet Censorship
MOSCOW—Supporters of Russia’s most prominent opposition leader on Tuesday revived their campaign to stage a protest near the Kremlin, despite government attempts to hamper their efforts by Internet censorship. Last week, prosecutors asked a court to sentence Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s chief foe, to 10 years in prison...
As Recession Looms, Russia Acts to Support Ruble
MOSCOW—With its economy spiraling toward recession following Western sanctions and a dramatic fall in the price of oil, Russia took another step Tuesday to shore up the value of the ruble, which has been one of the world’s worst-performing currencies this year. Russia’s energy-dependent economy has suffered a severe economic shock...
Russia Tells State-Owned Business Giants to Sell Cash to Prop Up Ruble
MOSCOW—Russia has ordered five of the country’s major state-controlled exporters to sell excess currency reserves in its latest attempt to shore up the ruble, which has endured big losses this year in the wake of sliding oil prices. The Russian government published an order on its website Tuesday, instructing gas giant Gazprom, oil...
Russia Forms Alliance With 4 Ex-Soviet Nations
MOSCOW—The leaders of Russia and four other ex-Soviet nations have completed the creation of a new ambitious alliance intended to bolster their economic integration. The Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, comes to existence on Jan. 1. In addition to free trade, it’s to coordinate the...
Russia Gives Bank $500 Million Bailout Following Ruble Slide
MOSCOW—Russia has bailed out a mid-sized bank for about $500 million to save it from bankruptcy— a clear sign that the slide in the value of the ruble in the wake of sliding oil prices is straining the banking system. The Central Bank said Monday it will give Trust Bank 30 billion rubles that will allow it to continue operating as normal. It will...
Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev Calls Ukraine Conflict ‘Nonsense’
MOSCOW—Kazakhstan’s president says the conflict in eastern Ukraine is “nonsense” and is calling on Russia and Ukraine to find a way to resolve it. Nursultan Nazarbayev’s comments Monday, after a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, could carry weight because Kazakhstan is part of a Russia-dominated trade bloc that Moscow...
