19:21
17.3.2014
Jan Techau, director of the Carnegie Europe think tank in Brussels, says the limited first round of targeted EU sanctions and a draft list of 120-130 names leaked earlier are warnings to Russia that the list can be quickly augmented.
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
19:22
17.3.2014
Window on Eurasia: Putin Plans to Annex Far More of Ukraine than Just Crimea, Illarionov Says http://t.co/T5ep655YeL
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) March 17, 2014
19:26
17.3.2014
From the wires:
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
07:24
18.3.2014
Here's the latest update from the wires:
The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has approved a draft treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.
The move comes shortly after Putin formally informed both houses of parliament of Crimea's request to join Russia -- the first legislative step required by the Russian Constitution if the peninsula is to be annexed from Ukraine.
Yesterday, Putin recognized Crimea as an independent state in defiance of the international community's insistence that it remains part of Ukraine. (AFP, Interfax, and Reuters)
The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has approved a draft treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.
The move comes shortly after Putin formally informed both houses of parliament of Crimea's request to join Russia -- the first legislative step required by the Russian Constitution if the peninsula is to be annexed from Ukraine.
Yesterday, Putin recognized Crimea as an independent state in defiance of the international community's insistence that it remains part of Ukraine. (AFP, Interfax, and Reuters)
07:34
18.3.2014
According to the Reuters news agency, Tokyo is now also taking measures against Russia:
Japan says it is slapping sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo today that the government is freezing all talks with Russia on relaxing visa requirements, and on all new negotiations on investment accords and new agreements on space and military activities.
Suga, who is the top government spokesman, also said, "We ask that Russia respect international law and respect the integrity of Ukraine and not move towards annexing Crimea." (Reuters)
Japan says it is slapping sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo today that the government is freezing all talks with Russia on relaxing visa requirements, and on all new negotiations on investment accords and new agreements on space and military activities.
Suga, who is the top government spokesman, also said, "We ask that Russia respect international law and respect the integrity of Ukraine and not move towards annexing Crimea." (Reuters)
07:53
18.3.2014
Here's a little more from our newsdesk on U.S. diplomatic efforts to dissuade Russia from intervening further in Ukraine:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Warsaw today as he begins a two-day visit to Poland and Lithuania over the Ukrainian crisis.
Biden, who left Washington yesterday, is due to meet in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.
He will meet separately in Warsaw with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
In Vilnius, Biden will meet with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvian President Andris Berzins before leaving the region tomorrow.
The meetings with these NATO allies are part of a broader U.S. campaign to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to call off Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Latvia and Estonia share borders with Russia, while Poland and Lithuania are nearby. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Warsaw today as he begins a two-day visit to Poland and Lithuania over the Ukrainian crisis.
Biden, who left Washington yesterday, is due to meet in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.
He will meet separately in Warsaw with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
In Vilnius, Biden will meet with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvian President Andris Berzins before leaving the region tomorrow.
The meetings with these NATO allies are part of a broader U.S. campaign to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to call off Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Latvia and Estonia share borders with Russia, while Poland and Lithuania are nearby. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)
08:18
18.3.2014
According to "The Moscow Times" former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has backed Russia's takeover of Crimea, saying it corrected a historical "mistake."
09:17
18.3.2014
Now #Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria also wants to join #Russia http://t.co/8y5lkXxQ4L
— Thomas Grove (@tggrove) March 18, 2014
09:59
18.3.2014
This is interesting...
Russia Today's wildly popular YouTube channel is blocked. Boss @M_Simonyan says she hopes it's a technical error pic.twitter.com/qhg7Ed4wZ6
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 18, 2014
10:21
18.3.2014
More details on the Crimean Tatar man found bound and murdered with signs of torture, tentatively identified http://t.co/uDKvQbrekj
— CatherineFitzpatrick (@catfitz) March 16, 2014