08:29
1.5.2014
Some of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde's statements at a news briefing in Washington announcing yesterday's decision to provide Ukraine with a two-year, $17 billion aid program, via Reuters.
"Urgent action was necessary, decisive measures were taken by Ukraine and decisive measures have just been taken by the IMF. So there has been a very strong endorsement for the program, which will release, over the course of the next two years, $17.1 billion in different installments over the course of those two years."
"We believe that Ukraine has an opportunity to seize the moment, to break away from previous practices both from a fiscal, from a monetary, and from a governance point of view."
"It's a program that has implementation risks. It's one were we are trying to mitigate the risks as much as we can. We have had prior actions, which have been addressed satisfactorily. We will have what I will call high frequency reviews because there will be a review of [Ukraine's] performance every two months in the first sequence to make sure that determination is actually followed through."
"We believe that Ukraine has an opportunity to seize the moment, to break away from previous practices both from a fiscal, from a monetary, and from a governance point of view."
"It's a program that has implementation risks. It's one were we are trying to mitigate the risks as much as we can. We have had prior actions, which have been addressed satisfactorily. We will have what I will call high frequency reviews because there will be a review of [Ukraine's] performance every two months in the first sequence to make sure that determination is actually followed through."
08:18
1.5.2014
Reuters quotes Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ascalling for OSCE-sponsored talks between Kyiv and pro-Russian separatists in southeastern Ukraine. "Russia believes that such a dialogue could be arranged between the authorities in Kyiv and their opponents in other regions of the country under the aegis of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe," Lavrov told Rossiya-24 TV during a visit to Peru.
08:17
1.5.2014
Ukrainian authorities reportedly detained Russia's military attache to Kyiv on suspicion of spying and ordered the diplomat to leave the country.
Interfax-Ukraine, citing the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said the unnamed diplomat was detained on April 30 while undertaking "intelligence activities."
"The military-naval attache of the embassy of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is declared persona non grata in connection with his actions, which are not in accordance with his diplomatic status," the agency quoted the ministry as saying.
Interfax-Ukraine, citing the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said the unnamed diplomat was detained on April 30 while undertaking "intelligence activities."
"The military-naval attache of the embassy of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is declared persona non grata in connection with his actions, which are not in accordance with his diplomatic status," the agency quoted the ministry as saying.
20:16
30.4.2014
Barring any late breaking news, that ends our blogging for April 30. You can continue to follow our Ukraine coverage here.
19:15
30.4.2014
From our news desk:
Four Danish fighter jets have arrived in Estonia, the first time NATO warplanes will be stationed in the Baltic nation.
The deployment comes at a time when NATO is boosting its presence in eastern members of the alliance to allay concerns over what Western officials describe as Russia's interference in Ukraine.
At a ceremony, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas praised NATO's decision to deploy planes to the country, saying it will boost regional security.
Until now, NATO's sole Baltic air base was in Siauliai, in northern Lithuania, from where alliance planes have carried out Baltic air patrols since 2004.
On April 28, some 150 U.S. troops also arrived in Estonia, part of a 600-strong force that Washington sent to Poland and the Baltics. (AFP/AP)
The deployment comes at a time when NATO is boosting its presence in eastern members of the alliance to allay concerns over what Western officials describe as Russia's interference in Ukraine.
At a ceremony, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas praised NATO's decision to deploy planes to the country, saying it will boost regional security.
Until now, NATO's sole Baltic air base was in Siauliai, in northern Lithuania, from where alliance planes have carried out Baltic air patrols since 2004.
On April 28, some 150 U.S. troops also arrived in Estonia, part of a 600-strong force that Washington sent to Poland and the Baltics. (AFP/AP)
18:36
30.4.2014
17:20
30.4.2014
From Washington correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says Russia should respect the international order, otherwise it could face "growing costs" and "growing isolation".
Biden made the remarks in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington on April 30.
He said Russia's integration into the international order remains in everyone's interests.
But Biden said if Russia wanted to benefit from the international order it had to respect that order and abide by the rules.
The United States has repeatedly called on Russia to change course in Ukraine and de-escalate the tensions.
In his speech, Biden also said that U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Poland in June, adding the stop to a European trip that will also take him to a G7 summit in Brussels and to France for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Biden made the remarks in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington on April 30.
He said Russia's integration into the international order remains in everyone's interests.
But Biden said if Russia wanted to benefit from the international order it had to respect that order and abide by the rules.
The United States has repeatedly called on Russia to change course in Ukraine and de-escalate the tensions.
In his speech, Biden also said that U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Poland in June, adding the stop to a European trip that will also take him to a G7 summit in Brussels and to France for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
16:49
30.4.2014
16:47
30.4.2014
16:38
30.4.2014
Washington correspondent Luke Johnson reports:
U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation that would impose sanctions on top Russian companies and banks in response to the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine.
The bill, introduced by Republican senators on April 30, would impose sanctions on companies including state-owned energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft, as well as state arms manufacturer Rosoboroneksport. It also calls for sanctions on four leading Russian lenders: Sberbank, VTB, VEB, and Gazprombank.
The legislation, which was introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Bob Corker (Republican-Tennessee) would also require the White House to boost "substantially" U.S. and NATO support for Poland and the Baltic countries.
It also authorizes the U.S. president to provide $100 million of direct military assistance to Ukraine, including antitank and antiaircraft weapons and small arms.
The bill, introduced by Republican senators on April 30, would impose sanctions on companies including state-owned energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft, as well as state arms manufacturer Rosoboroneksport. It also calls for sanctions on four leading Russian lenders: Sberbank, VTB, VEB, and Gazprombank.
The legislation, which was introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Bob Corker (Republican-Tennessee) would also require the White House to boost "substantially" U.S. and NATO support for Poland and the Baltic countries.
It also authorizes the U.S. president to provide $100 million of direct military assistance to Ukraine, including antitank and antiaircraft weapons and small arms.