There's been some tough talk coming from Germany, according to this item from RFE/RL's news desk:
Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says Moscow is facing its last opportunity to prove that it is serious about peace in Ukraine, following the downing of a Malaysian airliner by a suspected Russian missile system in eastern Ukraine.
Steinmeier made the remarks to the "Bild am Sonntag" newspaper today after German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Russian President Vladimir Putin that he must use his influence over pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine.
Both Steinmeier and Merkel say Russia has not done enough to stop rebel fighters in eastern Ukraine or shipments of weapons and fighters from Russia into Ukraine.
Merkel and Putin agreed that diplomats from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should meet directly with separatists, Ukrainian officials, and Russian diplomats to try to reach a truce in Ukraine.
(Reuters, AP, and AFP)
Here is some info on sanctions decelopments, as reported by our news desk:
Russia’s Foreign Minister said on July 19 that it would retaliate against newly imposed U.S. sanctions on Russian firms and citizens by imposing visa restrictions on a similar number of U.S. citizens.
The list of U.S. citizens that Moscow is barring from entering Russia includes the chief wardens of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay detention centers in Iraq and Cuba.
Moscow also put U.S. congressman James Moran on the Kremlin’s banned list, saying the move was retaliation for the inclusion of Russian State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov on the U.S blacklist.
U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this week announced expanded sanctions against Russia over its activities in Ukraine.
The move came before a Malaysian airliner was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17.
(Reuters, AP, AFP, Interfax, and ITAR-TASS)
Briefing today from DPM Groysman for Ambos from counties affected by #MH17 shootdown. Wide concern at lack of crash access for investigators
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) July 19, 2014
Authorities: Illegal armed units steal 36 bodies of victims of #airplanecrash in #Donetsk region #mh17 http://t.co/q3Ecq2j1Dh
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) July 19, 2014
After 2 days picking through #MH17 site pro-Russia gunmen chief says no idea where black box is pic.twitter.com/YITdKVojQW via @pavelsheremet
— Ryskeldi Satke (@RyskeldiSatke) July 19, 2014
Here' s the latest update from our news desk:
Armed separatists in eastern Ukraine have allowed international inspectors to visit a field strewn with debris from a Malaysian airliner that was shot down on July 17, killing all 298 people aboard.
A rebel commander told the team from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on July 19 that separatists did not touch evidence and had not found the plane's "black box" flight data recordings.
Separatists on July 18 blocked the inspectors from the same scorched field, where one of the plane’s engines landed.
Ukraine’s government on July 19 accused separatists of trying to destroy evidence of an international crime "with the help of Russia."
Kyiv also said separatists moved 38 bodies to a morgue in Donetsk.
Ukraine's counter intelligence chief, meanwhile, said he has "compelling evidence" that the plane was downed by a BUK-1 antiaircraft missile system operated by a crew of Russian citizens.
Interpol and Europol investigators were traveling to Ukraine on July 19 to help identify crash victims.
Ukraine's Security Council said members of Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry had been able to explore about 75 percent of the 25-square-kilometer crash site and located the bodies of 186 passengers.
(Reuters, AP, AFP)
"Putin’s credibility lies amid the wreckage of flight MH17" by Swedish Foreign minister. @carlbildt http://t.co/K3xhMnXyvp via @FT
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) July 19, 2014
No sign of black boxes. No sign of missile debris. No sign of aviation or military experts. No idea where the bodies are going. #MH17
— max seddon (@maxseddon) July 19, 2014
Dutch popular daily Telegraaf fronts huge spread photo of pro-Russian separatists leaders. Headline: "KILLERS" pic.twitter.com/LZx2JDc2IC
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) July 19, 2014
This is going to help RT @davidmunk: British press pretty sure who is to blame for #mh17 Ukraine atrocity methinks pic.twitter.com/1WqbDIhhNl
— Jack Stubbs (@jc_stubbs) July 19, 2014