16:34
26.3.2014
Meanwhile, in Moldova:
Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky has praised last month's referendum in Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region, calling it a "timely" event. Meeting with a Gagauzia delegation in Moscow Wednesday, Slutsky said "we fully approve of the poll."
Gagauzia has a population of about 155,000, mostly ethnically Gagauz, Turkic-speaking Orthodox Christians. Its residents voted in an unauthorized referendum for integration with a Russia-led customs union in February.
Moldova, which initialed an EU Association Agreement in November 2013, called the referendum illegal, saying it challenges Moldova's territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, the chairwoman of the delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, Romania's Monica Macovei, told RFE/RL this week that Moldova may sign the political part of the Association Agreement with the EU before signing the economic part, like Ukraine did after Russia annexed its Crimean Peninsula.
Gagauzia has a population of about 155,000, mostly ethnically Gagauz, Turkic-speaking Orthodox Christians. Its residents voted in an unauthorized referendum for integration with a Russia-led customs union in February.
Moldova, which initialed an EU Association Agreement in November 2013, called the referendum illegal, saying it challenges Moldova's territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, the chairwoman of the delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, Romania's Monica Macovei, told RFE/RL this week that Moldova may sign the political part of the Association Agreement with the EU before signing the economic part, like Ukraine did after Russia annexed its Crimean Peninsula.
16:56
26.3.2014
"@coe: #Crimea: #Russia's delegation to #CoE Congress of loc & regional auth. publishes its 'Stament on #Ukraine.' http://t.co/sRuWI4ElPU"
— Omer AYDIN (@aydinomer) March 26, 2014
17:08
26.3.2014
#Russia promises to free kidnapped #Ukrainian Commanders by the end of the day http://t.co/1hpTOGllgD |PR Post #Crimea #Crimeaninvasion
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) March 26, 2014
17:19
26.3.2014
More reports of Russian troop movements in Crimea:
Crimean activists reported that Russian troops moving tanks & APCs in the outskirts of Simferopol. pic.twitter.com/gLPIDPEmrt
— Ryskeldi Satke (@RyskeldiSatke) March 26, 2014
17:24
26.3.2014
Barack Obama: "Russia stands alone."
18:16
26.3.2014
U.S. lawmaker calls for natural-gas exports to Europe to "sap Putin's strength."
Ed Royce: "America's newly developing energy supplies could make a difference, sapping President Putin's strength, while bolstering Ukraine's and many other European countries."
Ed Royce: "America's newly developing energy supplies could make a difference, sapping President Putin's strength, while bolstering Ukraine's and many other European countries."
18:25
26.3.2014
Ukrainian officer being freed in Crimea:
Colonel Mamchur came to #Sevastopol under guard escort to get his personal belongings & will leave #Crimea ,- his wife @ukrpravda_news |PR
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) March 26, 2014
18:34
26.3.2014
Obama: Russia's leadership is challenging truths and trying to redraw maps. He says the contest of ideas continues and that's what's at stake in Ukraine today....and says if the old way of doing things gets a foothold in Europe it will spread to other continents.
18:35
26.3.2014
Obama: Russia's violation of international law and violation of Ukraine's territory must be confronted.
18:36
26.3.2014
Obama: Russia's isolation will increase if it stays on its current course.