In case you missed it earlier this week, just re-upping this piece by Daisy Sindelar.
Merkel has just arrived in Kyiv.
Reports say dozens of trucks from the controversial Russian aid convoy have now arrived at a border crossing on their way back into Russia.
An AP reporter on the scene said 67 trucks had crossed back into Russia.
Here's last night's White House statement on the aid convoy:
Meanwhile in soccer news:
Europe's soccer governing body, UEFA, has announced it will not recognize any matches played by Crimean clubs in Russian competitions, but will not issue sanctions against 2018 World Cup host Russia.
Three clubs from Crimea, a region in Ukraine annexed by Russia in March, debuted in Russian league and cup competitions this month.
UEFA's Emergency Panel ruled that the clubs' matches "will not be recognized by UEFA until further notice," the organization said in a statement on August 22.
The Ukrainian Football Federation had called for sanctions against Russia's football authorities, arguing that admitting the Crimean clubs meant the Russian Football Union broke UEFA regulations by acting outside its jurisdiction.
Here's our news wrap from this morning on Obama's and Merkel's condemnation of Russian actions in Ukraine.