18:01
4.6.2014
A Ukrainian-language roundtable by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service noted that visa-free travel to the European Union is unlikely until the country sorts out its eastern unrest.
18:07
4.6.2014
President-elect Poroshenko doesn't rule out a meeting with Russian President Putin while both are in France for D-Day ceremonies.
18:12
4.6.2014
18:21
4.6.2014
President-elect Poroshenko says that today he discussed his peace proposal for Ukraine -- which he plans to introduce after his inauguration later this week -- with U.S., European, and Canadian leaders.
He says those discussions will continue in France, where leaders are scheduled to attend World War II anniversary events this week.
He says those discussions will continue in France, where leaders are scheduled to attend World War II anniversary events this week.
18:50
4.6.2014
For the #makemusicnotwar file:
18:52
4.6.2014
19:47
4.6.2014
Russian state broadcaster Voice Of Russia has published an interview with Sergei Lavrov in which he appears to want it both ways. The Russian foreign minister simultaneously accuses the United States of "trying to prevent the unification of the potentials of Russia and the EU" while suggesting those same "Western partners promoted [their] own agenda ignoring the interests of Russia, enlarged NATO and generally ran things to bring the geopolitical space they control to the very Russian borders."
He suggests Washington and "EU members extremely loyal to the U.S." initiated the Eastern Partnership in order to create "a new 'cordon sanitaire between the EU and our country."
20:13
4.6.2014
21:14
4.6.2014
From Reuters and our newsroom:
Kyiv has rejected a Russian draft resolution to the UN Security Council, saying there is no civil war and no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia circulated a draft resolution to the council two days ago calling for an immediate end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine and seeking to create corridors to allow civilians to escape the violence.
Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev told a news conference at the UN on June 4 that this resolution is unnecessary because there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sergeyev also described the resolution as “politically motivated."
Kyiv has rejected a Russian draft resolution to the UN Security Council, saying there is no civil war and no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia circulated a draft resolution to the council two days ago calling for an immediate end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine and seeking to create corridors to allow civilians to escape the violence.
Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev told a news conference at the UN on June 4 that this resolution is unnecessary because there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sergeyev also described the resolution as “politically motivated."
21:15
4.6.2014
Via AP and Reuters:
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the Ukraine crisis has been provoked by Western efforts to pull the country into its sphere of influence.
In a foreign policy speech in Moscow today, Lavrov accused the West of trying to create a buffer zone around Russia, ignoring Russia's interests, and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
“The course on limiting Russia's opportunities is not spearheaded by the European countries but primarily by the United States,” he added.
Lavrov also reiterated his call on the West to urge the Ukrainian government to end its military operation in the east.
Kyiv and its Western allies accuse Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea territory in March, of backing a pro-Moscow separatists in the country's east.
In a foreign policy speech in Moscow today, Lavrov accused the West of trying to create a buffer zone around Russia, ignoring Russia's interests, and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
“The course on limiting Russia's opportunities is not spearheaded by the European countries but primarily by the United States,” he added.
Lavrov also reiterated his call on the West to urge the Ukrainian government to end its military operation in the east.
Kyiv and its Western allies accuse Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea territory in March, of backing a pro-Moscow separatists in the country's east.