From a France 24 journalist:
Paul Goble on some of the fact and fiction in the minds of Russians regarding the historical roots of an independent Ukraine.
The European Union reacts to the apparent seizure by Russian forces in mid-September of a Lithuanian fishing vessel on the high seas, which it has raised with Moscow's envoy to Brussels.
Recall that Russia and Estonia are embroiled in what has become a tit-for-tat row that started when Russia seemingly duped or simply abducted Estonian intelligence agent Eston Kohver in early September. (He's still in custody and faces serious jail time in the Russian court system.) Then two Russian nationals, purportedly former KGB agents, were said to have been detained a few days ago for an allegedly crossing the border, apparently while fishing.
We are wrapping up the live blog for Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Please check back here in the morning for our continuing coverage of the Ukraine crisis.
EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner-designate Johannes Hahn, speaking today during his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels:
"For us as Europeans, there is no 'in-between' -- until the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine is reestablished, we cannot yield to Russia [regarding sanctions for its actions in Ukraine]."