Section: News & Summaries

      OSCE: Three children killed in grenade blast in militant-occupied Yenakiieve
      Jul06

      OSCE: Three children killed in grenade blast in militant-occupied Yenakiieve

      The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine has reported that three children were killed in a grenade explosion in the militant-occupied town of Yenakiieve in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on July 4.”Personnel at the hospital in ”Donetsk People`s Republic (”DPR”)-controlled Yenakiieve (41km north-east of Donetsk), told the SMM that three...

      Europe’s Forgotten War: Fighting in the Donbas Has Never Stopped
      Jul06

      Europe’s Forgotten War: Fighting in the Donbas Has Never Stopped

      Despite the existence of a ceasefire agreement, fighting in eastern Ukraine continues and is increasing. On July 5, three Ukrainian servicemen were killed and thirteen were wounded. The uptick in fighting began this past January, when Ukrainian officials reported up to seventy-one attacks a day and the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission...

      A Security Dilemma in Northeastern Europe?
      Jul06

      A Security Dilemma in Northeastern Europe?

      At NATO’s summit in Warsaw this week, the Alliance is expected to approve a plan to rotationally deploy as many as four battalions—roughly 4,000 troops—on the territory of the Baltic States and Poland in what it calls a new “persistent presence.” This represents a significant qualitative improvement in the reassurance and deterrence steps...

      Over 40% of Ukrainians say NATO membership fundamental guarantee of national security
      Jul06

      Over 40% of Ukrainians say NATO membership fundamental guarantee of national security

      A total of 43% of Ukrainians consider NATO membership Ukraine`s main national security guarantee, according to a study by Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center, a political analyst of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation Maria Zolkina said at a press conference on Wednesday, an UNIAN correspondent...

      Russian bonds back in vogue

      Bond investors are increasingly trading junk-rated Russia as an investment-grade credit, even if ratings firms are years away from restoring the coveted status. ||| London – Bond investors are increasingly trading junk-rated Russia as an investment-grade credit, even if ratings firms are years away from restoring the coveted status the...

      Norwegian FM: Donbas elections impossible until Russia withdraws troops
      Jul06

      Norwegian FM: Donbas elections impossible until Russia withdraws troops

      Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende has stressed that the holding of elections in Donbas is impossible until Russia withdraws its troops, according to an UNIAN correspondent.”We shouldn`t think that the Minsk agreements only mean elections and decentralization. Minsk also means the withdrawal of Russian armed forces, Russian military vehicles...

      Ukraine urges Kazakhstan to demand Russia lift transit restrictions on Ukrainian goods
      Jul06

      Ukraine urges Kazakhstan to demand Russia lift transit restrictions on Ukrainian goods

      Ukraine`s Ministry of Economic Development and Trade calls on Kazakhstan to demand that the Russian Federation abolish restrictions on the transit of Ukrainian goods, the ministry reported on its official Twitter page.”[Economy Minister Stepan] Kubiv and [Ukraine Trade Representative Natalia] Mykolska have urged Kazakhstan to demand that Russia...

      Groysman says Ukraine`s cooperation with IMF ”constructive”
      Jul06

      Groysman says Ukraine`s cooperation with IMF ”constructive”

      Ukraine`s Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has called the country`s cooperation with its key creditor – the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — constructive, adding that all disputed issues have been resolved.”We have resolved all the issues in the `Government-IMF` framework. And it has been a constructive cooperation,” Groysman said...

      EU, Ukraine making significant progress on partnerships: Committee of Regions
      Jul06

      EU, Ukraine making significant progress on partnerships: Committee of Regions

      Ukraine has taken substantive and very hopeful steps in its reform of local governance, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Markku Markkula, said today in a meeting of a special task-force created by cities and regions in the European Union to help Ukraine, according to CoR`s press service.Speaking in the southern Ukrainian...

      Ukraine Gov`t extends food embargo against Russia until 2018
      Jul06

      Ukraine Gov`t extends food embargo against Russia until 2018

      The Cabinet of Ministers on July 6 has extended its food embargo on Russian goods for six months, until December 31, 2017, in response to a new wave of restrictive measures earlier imposed by Russia.”A draft resolution has been submitted that proposes to extend until December 31, 2017, inclusive, the ban on supplies to the Ukrainian customs...