Section: Voice of America (USA)
Ukraine Urges West to Back Its Reform Work
Ukraine has urged the West to back its efforts at reform despite accusations that the government has failed to tackle corruption three years after the revolution that toppled the regime of President Viktor Yanukovich. Campaigners say billions of dollars were embezzled from Ukrainian state coffers, much of it held in secret offshore accounts. As...
Ukraine Urges West’s Support of Reform as It Seeks Stolen Billions
Ukraine is urging the West to back its efforts at reform, despite accusations the government has failed to tackle corruption three years on from the revolution that toppled the regime of president Viktor Yanukovych. Visiting with British Prime Minister Theresa May in London Wednesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko implored the West to back...
Russian Dissidents Open Office in Ukraine’s Capital
Organizers from the Free Russia Foundation, a U.S.-based NGO founded by Russian dissidents, have opened what they call “an Embassy of the Civil Society of Russia in Ukraine,” in Kyiv’s trendy Podil district. Housed in a red brick building with a small blue sign that reads “Free Russia House,” its founders plan to transform the now-bare...
Exxon Seeks Waiver of US Sanctions to Resume Russian Oil Work
Oil giant ExxonMobil has asked the Trump administration for an exemption from U.S. sanctions against Russia, so it can resume drilling around the Black Sea with a Russian partner, according to U.S. news reports Wednesday. The request likely will receive extra scrutiny from U.S. officials because the deal between Exxon and Rosneft, the Russian...
UN Court Rejects Provisional Measures on Russia Over Ukraine
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague has rejected Kyiv’s call to impose provisional measures against Russia for its support of rebels in eastern Ukraine, while acknowledging Kyiv has a case against Moscow for discrimination in Russia-annexed Crimea. “At this stage of the proceedings, Ukraine has not put before the...
Berlin, Paris, Moscow and Kyiv Discuss Ukraine Peace Deal
The German government says the leaders of Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France have renewed their commitment to implementing a faltering peace deal for eastern Ukraine. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office said the German leader spoke by phone Monday night with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and French...
Pope Decries ‘vile’ Attack on Syrians in Easter Address
On Christianity’s most joyful day, Pope Francis lamented the horrors generated by war and hatred, delivering an Easter Sunday message that also decried the “latest vile” attack on civilians in Syria. Both in his impromptu homily during Mass in St. Peter’s Square and later in his formal “Urbi et Orbi”‘...
Millions of Orthodox Christians Celebrate Easter
Millions of Orthodox Christians around the world have celebrated Easter in overnight services and with “holy fire” from Jerusalem, commemorating the day followers believe that Jesus was resurrected nearly 2,000 years ago. This year the Orthodox churches celebrate Easter on the same Sunday that Roman Catholics and Protestants mark the...
Russia Boycotts Kyiv-hosted Eurovision Event Over Contestant Kerfuffle
Russia’s leading state broadcaster has announced plans to boycott the Eurovision 2017 song contest after the host country, Ukraine, barred Russia’s contestant, wheelchair-bound singer Yulia Samoylova, from entering the country. Kyiv’s decision in late March to ban the 28-year-old Russian paraplegic vocalist stemmed from her June...
Russia’s Policy in Syria, Afghanistan Clashing with US
Multi-nation talks on the prospects for Afghan security and national reconciliation, the third such round since December, began Friday in Moscow. Eleven countries are taking part in discussions, including Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan and India. Former Soviet Central Asian states have been invited to attend for the first time. The United...
