Kiev says Putin open to peacekeeping mission in east Ukraine
Kiev, April 30, 2015 (AFP) -- The Ukrainian presidency on Thursday said Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to the deployment of a peacekeeping mission in war-torn eastern Ukraine, after the leaders of both countries spoke by phone with their French and German counterparts.
"In the context of the discussion of ways towards a peaceful resolution (of the conflict), President Putin has accepted the possibility of deploying a peacekeeping contingent to the Donbass region," the presidency said in a statement.
And then there's this ...
Kremlin statement on Ukraine does not mention peacekeeper proposal
Moscow, April 30, 2015 (AFP) -- A Kremlin statement on Thursday did not mention a claim by Kiev that President Vladimir Putin is open to sending a peacekeeping force to eastern Ukraine following a phone conversation between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.
The statement said that the leaders "noted certain progress on issues of how to ensure a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons in the conflict zone."
Flash from Reuters:
RUSSIA'S KREMLIN SAYS PUTIN, MERKEL, POROSHENKO, HOLLANDE NOTED CERTAIN PROGRESS IN CEASEFIRE, WITHDRAWAL OF HEAVY WEAPONS FROM EASTERN UKRAINE DURING TELEPHONE CONFERENCE
More from RFE/RL's News Desk:
Russia Says Western Leaders Note Progress In Cease-Fire In Ukraine
The Kremlin says that Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko have noted "certain progress" in a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine during a telephone conversation.
The leaders of four countries also noted progress in the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the region, the Kremlin said in a statement.
However, the Kremlin statement did not mention a claim by Kyiv that Putin is open to sending a peacekeeping force to eastern Ukraine following the phone conversation on April 30.
The Ukrainian presidency statement said, "In the context of the discussion of ways towards a peaceful resolution [of the conflict], President Putin has accepted the possibility of deploying a peacekeeping contingent to the Donbas region."
The French presidency also made no mention of peacekeepers, saying in a statement that the parties had reviewed the implementation of the peace accords and "considered areas for improvement."
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Ukrainian Oligarch Fights Extradition To U.S.
Billionaire Ukrainian industrialist Dmytro Firtash rejected accusations of bribery and money-laundering as an Austrian court opened deliberations on April 30 on whether to extradite him to the United States to face corruption charges.
Firtash told the court in Vienna that allegations that he had conspired to bribe Indian government officials were "absolutely untrue."
A U.S. grand jury in 2013 indicted Firtash, along with a member of India's parliament and four others, on suspicion of bribing Indian government officials to gain access to minerals used to make titanium-based products.
Firtash, 49, was arrested in Vienna a year ago at the request of U.S. authorities, who have been investigating him since 2006.
He was released from detention in March 2014 after posting bail of 125 million euros ($140 million).
Firtash's legal team argued that the criminal case was politically motivated.
Firtash's gas-trading and chemicals businesses flourished under Ukraine's ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.
It was unclear when the judge would rule.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax
This just in from Reuters:
AUSTRIAN COURT REJECTS U.S. REQUEST TO EXTRADITE UKRAINIAN INDUSTRIALIST FIRTASH TO FACE CORRUPTION CHARGES
That concludes our live-blogging of the Ukraine crisis for Thursday, April 30, 2015. Thanks for reading.