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Russia Signals Hard Line on Ukraine Talks in Minsk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday suggested Moscow would stick to a tough approach at talks. Reuters MOSCOW—Russia signaled it would take a hard line during Ukraine talks Monday, calling on Kiev to agree to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire as President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine’s leaders of escalating the violence by refusing to negotiate in good faith. In Kiev, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko accused Russia of undertaking "undisguised aggression" that has "fundamentally changed the situation in the zone of military action" in the east, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russia separatists for five months. Kiev, backed by Western leaders, has accused Moscow of sending more than 1,000 troops into its territory in the last few weeks to support the separatists, a charge Moscow denies even as Ukraine has suffered a dramatic reversal on the battlefield in recent days. The rebel representative to Monday’s talks with Russia […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Russia, Ukraine Trade Captured Soldiers

DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine—With its forces falling back before onslaughts in eastern Ukraine, Kiev agreed to the release of Russian paratroopers captured inside its borders last week in return for 63 Ukrainians who had crossed into Russian territory to flee fighting. The exchanges appeared to be a modest sign of a willingness to talk on the eve of cease-fire talks in Minsk, Belarus, on Monday that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said could be decisive. Kiev has taken a hard line in previous talks as it sought to regain territory taken by Moscow-backed rebels. But after Russian troops openly intervened, reversing Kiev’s gains and leaving hundreds of its soldiers surrounded, Mr. Poroshenko may be preparing to make concessions. Moscow appeared to be hardening its demands and to be ready to press Kiev to accept outright secession of its two eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk. In remarks broadcast on Russia’s state television, […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Germany Steps Up Its Response to Global Security Crises

BERLIN — In an indication of Germany’s growing role on the world stage, the country’s top politicians on Sunday approved the delivery of thousands of machine guns and hand grenades, as well as hundreds of antitank missiles, to Kurdish forces battling Islamic militants in Iraq. Scarred by its militarism and two resounding defeats in the 20th century, Germany once shied away from conflict zones and limited its involvement to deliveries of humanitarian aid. But, although Chancellor Angela Merkel has yet to articulate a clear policy on intervention, she and her top ministers have dominated efforts to ease the Ukraine crisis. And on Sunday, they moved to approve the weapons for the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. A solid majority in Parliament backs sending weapons, while opinion polls indicate that up to two-thirds of Germans — weaned on decades of pacifism — oppose the move. Ms. […]

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EU to decide on more energy sanctions on Russia this week: Merkel

The EU is to decide on further energy and financial sanctions against Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis within a week, German chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday. "If nothing changes [in Ukraine] then these sanctions will be adopted," she told reporters after a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. The move comes after reports of increased Russian military involvement in the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine. Merkel said the European Commission already has a list of further possible measures ready for EU governments to consider and decide on "within a week." These further measures are in the areas where the EU has already adopted sanctions, "so financial sanctions are possible, but also other areas in the energy sector for example," she said. In late July the EU targeted Russia’s oil sector with economic sanctions banning any new contracts with Russia that […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple