15:54
17.4.2014
16:01
17.4.2014
Things aren't looking that hopeful in Geneva. From our news desk:
Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says he doesn’t have "high hopes" for a positive outcome of the international talks on the Ukrainian crisis in Geneva.
Yatsenyuk said he does not trust Russia. He accused Moscow of trying to further escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian groups have seized public buildings and confronted Ukrainian troops.
Yatsenyuk spoke April 17 as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Deshchytsya, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton were meeting in Geneva.
Yatsenyuk said he does not trust Russia. He accused Moscow of trying to further escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian groups have seized public buildings and confronted Ukrainian troops.
Yatsenyuk spoke April 17 as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Deshchytsya, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton were meeting in Geneva.
16:04
17.4.2014
Interesting news here that, according to Aeroflot, Ukraine is limiting Russian men's travels to Ukraine.
Russia's national airline Aeroflot says Ukrainian authorities are imposing "strict limitations" on Russian men seeking to travel to Ukraine.
The April 17 statement said Ukrainian authorities have banned entry to male Russian passengers between the ages of 16 to 60.
No statement from Ukrainian authorities in response to Aeroflot's claims was immediately available.
The airline said that only male Russian nationals arriving in Ukraine to see relatives, or care for sick relatives, or attend a funeral will be permitted to enter the country. It said such Russian male passengers must have documents proving the purpose of their visit.
Aeroflot said similar restrictions apply to residents of Crimea, the Ukrainian territory that was annexed by Russia in March.
Aeroflot said Crimean women between the ages of 20 and 35 will have to undergo special checks on arrival at Ukrainian airports.
Aeroflot recommended in its statement that Russian citizens avoid traveling to Ukraine at this time.
The April 17 statement said Ukrainian authorities have banned entry to male Russian passengers between the ages of 16 to 60.
No statement from Ukrainian authorities in response to Aeroflot's claims was immediately available.
The airline said that only male Russian nationals arriving in Ukraine to see relatives, or care for sick relatives, or attend a funeral will be permitted to enter the country. It said such Russian male passengers must have documents proving the purpose of their visit.
Aeroflot said similar restrictions apply to residents of Crimea, the Ukrainian territory that was annexed by Russia in March.
Aeroflot said Crimean women between the ages of 20 and 35 will have to undergo special checks on arrival at Ukrainian airports.
Aeroflot recommended in its statement that Russian citizens avoid traveling to Ukraine at this time.
16:32
17.4.2014
16:43
17.4.2014
NATO has responded to Putin's allegations that NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, when he was Danish prime minister, secretly taped a private conversation with Putin and leaked it to the press:
NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu rejected Putin's accusation, calling it "complete nonsense."
Lungescu told Reuters news agency that during his term in office as Danish prime minister, Rasmussen "never" brought a dictaphone to record meetings with Putin or anybody else.
She added: "In general, to divert attention away from its own illegal and illegitimate actions in Ukraine, Russia has levelled a series of accusations against NATO which distort the facts."
Lungescu told Reuters news agency that during his term in office as Danish prime minister, Rasmussen "never" brought a dictaphone to record meetings with Putin or anybody else.
She added: "In general, to divert attention away from its own illegal and illegitimate actions in Ukraine, Russia has levelled a series of accusations against NATO which distort the facts."
18:21
17.4.2014
BREAKING: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the four-party meeting in Geneva is calling for a de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine.
He said the four parties have agreed on a demand for all illegal armed groups in Ukraine to be dissolved, and for those occupying government buildings to vacate those buildings.
He said the four parties have agreed on a demand for all illegal armed groups in Ukraine to be dissolved, and for those occupying government buildings to vacate those buildings.
18:27
17.4.2014
18:28
17.4.2014
From our news desk:
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the United States is sending more nonlethal military support to Ukraine.
Hagel said April 17 that the assistance will include medical supplies, helmets, water purification units, and power generators.
The United States has previously sent supplies such as ready-to-eat meals to the Ukrainian military.
However, U.S. officials have said there are no current plans to provide weapons and ammunition to Ukraine’s military.
Hagel spoke at a Pentagon news conference after talks with Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak of NATO member and Ukrainian neighbor Poland.
The United States has backed the Ukrainian government’s attempted security crackdown on pro-Russian groups who have seized public buildings in eastern Ukraine.
Washington has accused Russia of actively destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, and demanded that Moscow withdraw thousands of troops massed near Russia’s border with Ukraine.
NATO earlier this week said it was deploying more ships, planes, and troops to eastern members of the alliance to guard against possible Russian aggression.
Hagel said April 17 that the assistance will include medical supplies, helmets, water purification units, and power generators.
The United States has previously sent supplies such as ready-to-eat meals to the Ukrainian military.
However, U.S. officials have said there are no current plans to provide weapons and ammunition to Ukraine’s military.
Hagel spoke at a Pentagon news conference after talks with Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak of NATO member and Ukrainian neighbor Poland.
The United States has backed the Ukrainian government’s attempted security crackdown on pro-Russian groups who have seized public buildings in eastern Ukraine.
Washington has accused Russia of actively destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, and demanded that Moscow withdraw thousands of troops massed near Russia’s border with Ukraine.
NATO earlier this week said it was deploying more ships, planes, and troops to eastern members of the alliance to guard against possible Russian aggression.
18:59
17.4.2014
More from our news desk on Lavrov's comments in Geneva.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the four-party meeting in Geneva has agreed to call for a de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine.
He said the four parties have agreed on a demand for all illegal armed groups in Ukraine to be disbanded, and for those occupying government buildings to vacate those buildings and refrain from violence.
Lavrov emphasized the call to disband illegal armed groups applied to all groups across Ukraine, including ones that support the new authorities in Kyiv. In particular, he cited the Ukrainian nationalist group the Right Sector.
Lavrov spoke April 17 after he met throughout the day with representatives of Ukraine's new government, the United States, and European Union.
The talks were held to try to defuse the crisis, amid the seizure of buildings in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian groups.
Lavrov said he four parties called for an end to threats and intimidation aimed at any and all groups in Ukraine, be they religious, national or other.
Lavrov said the four-party document also calls for all those arrested during the recent unrest in Ukraine to be released.
He said the four-party document recognizes that the "Ukrainians themselves" must take responsibility for resolving the tensions in the country.
He added that Russia has no desire to send troops into Ukraine.
He said the four parties have agreed on a demand for all illegal armed groups in Ukraine to be disbanded, and for those occupying government buildings to vacate those buildings and refrain from violence.
Lavrov emphasized the call to disband illegal armed groups applied to all groups across Ukraine, including ones that support the new authorities in Kyiv. In particular, he cited the Ukrainian nationalist group the Right Sector.
Lavrov spoke April 17 after he met throughout the day with representatives of Ukraine's new government, the United States, and European Union.
The talks were held to try to defuse the crisis, amid the seizure of buildings in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian groups.
Lavrov said he four parties called for an end to threats and intimidation aimed at any and all groups in Ukraine, be they religious, national or other.
Lavrov said the four-party document also calls for all those arrested during the recent unrest in Ukraine to be released.
He said the four-party document recognizes that the "Ukrainians themselves" must take responsibility for resolving the tensions in the country.
He added that Russia has no desire to send troops into Ukraine.