Section: Voice of America (USA)
Russia Pushes Rebels into Ceasefire, Political Talks With Ukraine
For the last two months, Russia has armed and encouraged the pro-Russian rebels in southeastern Ukraine. Now, the Kremlin is undergoing a policy shift.) On Monday, Russian state television showed a live broadcast of a Russian-supported Ukrainian separatist unexpectedly announcing a cease-fire. Russian state TV followed with Russia’s...
Obama: Putin, Separatists Should Comply with Ukraine Peace Plans
President Barack Obama has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to work closely with Kyiv to implement Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko’s plan for easing political tensions, starting with a cease-fire declared on Friday. Obama spoke with Putin by telephone late Monday. The White House said Obama called on Putin to pressure...
UN Security Council Meets On Ukraine
As the United Nations Security Council prepares to meet on Ukraine Tuesday morning, the Ukrainian government has reached an agreement with pro-Russian separatists on a temporary cease-fire. And Russian President Vladimir Putin is accused of sending mixed signals regarding Ukrainian peace efforts. Zlatica Hoke has more. …read more Source:...
Russia Asks Twitter to Block a Dozen Accounts
Russia asked Twitter on Monday to block access to a dozen accounts it deems “extremist”, the head of the country’s telecoms watchdog said, as Moscow seeks greater control over Internet sites based beyond its borders. The request to block the sites was made by the head of communications watchdog Roskomnadzor, Alexander Zharov, at...
Ukraine Volunteer Militia Deploys to East During Cease-fire
Volunteers with Ukraine’s Donbas Battalion, a pro-government militia that recently merged with the National Guard, prepared to deploy to the restive east on Monday, during a temporary cease-fire declared days earlier by the nation’s new president. VOA’s Anita Powell talked to the group about what they plan to do while they are...
Sanctions Threat Weighs On Russian Oil Industry
Russia’s economy runs on oil and gas, but with Russia’s economy on the edge of recession, a new threat has emerged: possible sanctions against energy technology sales from the West. The World Petroleum Congress was supposed to bring together Russia, the world’s largest energy producer, and the United States, the world’s...
Source: Russia Offered Baltics Cheaper Gas for NATO Exit
Lithuania’s president says that Russia, in an effort to maintain influence over territories that were once part of the Soviet Union, has set out to make the Baltic states “unreliable partners” for NATO and the European Union. In an interview with Germany’s Focus magazine, Dalia Grybauskaite said that according to her...
Complex Russia-Ukraine Relationship Has Deep Roots
Despite a common culture and shared history, Russia and Ukraine have at times had a tumultuous relationship over the past century, the roots of which led to the current standoff between the two nations. From Moscow, Michael Eckels reports. …read more Source: Voice of...
New Ukraine FM Seen Bringing Sober Style to Kyiv Diplomacy
One day after then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych unexpectedly scuttled plans to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union at a Vilnius summit, his envoy in Berlin took to German radio to explain Kyiv’s decision. But Pavlo Klimkin also seized the moment to express his personal frustration with the move before quickly...
Ukraine Volunteer Militia Deploys to East Amid Cease-fire
More volunteers with Ukraine’s Donbas Battalion, a pro-government militia that recently merged with the National Guard, were preparing to deploy to the restive east Monday – in the middle of a temporary cease-fire declared just days earlier by the country’s new president. The deployment comes at a time when they are technically...
