The latest from our news desk on the crisis:
Vladimir Putin has reportedly warned the European Union that the Russian military could take Kyiv in two weeks if he gave the order.
The Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" reported on September 1 that Putin told outgoing European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, "If I want, I can take Kyiv in two weeks."
The paper said Putin made the comment during a phone call with Barroso, who relayed it to leaders at an EU summit on August 30.
Russian news agencies quoted Putin's foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, as saying on September 2 that his words were "taken out of context and had a completely different meaning."
The newspaper report implied Putin's threat was a response to the possibility the EU would impose further sanctions on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis.
Kyiv and Western governments say Moscow has sent soldiers into eastern Ukraine and provided weapons to pro-Russian separatists who have made gains recently in their four-month-old conflict with government forces. Russia denies the accusations.
EU leaders decided at the summit that they should step up sanctions if Moscow does not pull its soldiers back. ("The Telegraph," "Der Spiegel," "La Repubblica", and Reuters)
That concludes our live blogging for Monday, September 1.
A worthwhile read from correspondent Robert Coalson in Prague:
Is Putin 'Rebuilding Russia' According To Solzhenitsyn's Design?
...Putin stressed Kazakhstan's importance as an ally and lavishly praised Nazarbaev as a wise leader dedicated to the welfare of his country. He said Nazarbaev is perhaps the most capable of all the leaders of post-Soviet countries.
However, part of his answer raised alarm bells in the Central Asian country.
"[Nazarbaev] accomplished a completely unique thing," Putin said. "He created a state on a territory where no state had ever been. The Kazakhs never had their own state. He created it. In this sense he is, in the post-Soviet space, a unique person."
Putin went on to praise the philosophy of the "Eurasian idea" and to assert that Kazakhs endorse it and see benefits to "remaining in the space of the larger Russian world."
It was a particularly sensitive moment because Kazakhstan is a key Russian ally and a member of the Russia-led Customs Union. More than 20 percent of the country's population is ethnic Russian, and they make up a majority or significant plurality in many of the country's northern regions. MORE
Interesting Twitter exchange over the past two hours between @keithgessen, @arothnyt, @oliverbullough, and @olliecarroll: