Section: Voice of America (USA)
Obama and Putin Hold Meeting at G-20
President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting informally on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit in China. White House spokesman Ned Price says more details about the meeting will be released later in the day. The meeting is taking place in private. Obama’s meeting with Putin comes as the U.S. and...
At G-20 Summit, Russia May Upstage China With Focus on Politics, Not Economy
With world leaders en route to China’s Hangzhou city for Sunday’s opening of the G20 summit, a senior Chinese diplomat announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be the number one guest. However Putin is already signaling that he plans to discuss geopolitical issues at the summit, possibly spoiling Beijing’s...
US Sanctions More Russian Individuals, Firms Over Ukraine
The United States on Thursday announced additional sanctions aimed at Russia over its continuing support for Ukraine’s rebels and the 2014 annexation of Crimea. The Treasury Department said in a statement that it had designated 37 new individuals and companies operating in Crimea and Ukraine for the sanctions list. “Russia continues...
Merkel, Hollande Worried About Ukraine Conflict Ahead of Meeting With Putin
Germany and France are “extremely concerned” about the situation in eastern Ukraine, especially along the line of contact between pro-Russian separatists and government forces, the two countries’ leaders said on Thursday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande spoke ahead of an expected meeting...
Relatives of MH17 Victims Seek EU Help in Getting Radar Data
Frustrated relatives of those killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot out of the sky over eastern Ukraine are appealing to the EU’s top diplomat to put pressure on Russia, Ukraine and the United States to hand over intelligence and radar data to investigators. An international team of investigators is seeking to file criminal...
Putin to Visit Japan in December
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Japan in December, Moscow and Tokyo confirmed Tuesday. The schedule for the visit could be decided when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets Putin later this week at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Japan’s top government spokesman said. “I believe the most important thing in...
Lithuania FM: EU Sanctions on Russia Should Stay
EU sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine should stay in place as long the situation on the ground does not improve, Lithuania’s foreign minister said on Monday, dismissing calls from EU’s rotating president Slovakia for them to be lifted. The European Union imposed energy, financial and defense sanctions on Moscow after it...
Human Rights Activists Condemn Secret Detentions in Ukraine
International rights group are raising the alarm about secret detentions in Ukraine. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch published a report this summer detailing the use of torture and secret detentions by both the Ukrainian government and the Russia-backed separatist rebels it is fighting in the country’s east. The two groups said...
Kerry, Russian Counterpart Try to Hammer Out Syria Plan
The United States and Russia renewed efforts Friday to negotiate a peaceful end to the fighting in Syria in light of a more volatile and complicated situation with the introduction of Turkish forces on the ground. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are meeting in Geneva, trying to come to an agreement...
German Minister Urges New Arms Control Pact With Russia
Germany’s foreign minister has called for a new arms control deal with Moscow to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe, where intensified military exercises by Russia and NATO have raised concerns that a war could inadvertently be triggered. In an apparent reference to Russia’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine,...
