09:22
2.4.2014
BREAKING: Russian President Vladimir Putin signs law to terminate agreements with Ukraine on the Black Sea Fleet.
09:22
2.4.2014
Good morning. We'll get the live blog rolling today with this tweet from Espresso TV, which appears to show Russian President Vladimir Putin's ex-wife Lyudmila wearing an interesting choice of outfit. Is this perhjaps a late April Fool's joke?
Людмила Путіна тролить свого колишнього чоловіка кольорами українського прапора http://t.co/YZqJwW586X pic.twitter.com/rD22lB6t6G
— Espreso.tv (@EspresoTV) April 2, 2014
22:04
1.4.2014
We are now closing the live blog for April 1. Before we go, we will leave you with the latest comments on the Ukraine situation from Europe's Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, as reported by Reuters:
You can also read RFE/RL's latest Ukraine news wrap here.
The European Union's economy chief has downplayed the possibility of tougher economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.
Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said today that "no sensible European" would want to see economic sanctions, unless Russia escalates the crisis.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of European finance ministers in Athens, Rehn also said the European Union will make a swift payment of financial aid to Ukraine, as Kyiv is now facing a price hike on gas it buys from Russia.
The EU has pledged 11 billion euros (over $15 billion) as part of a package of support with the International Monetary Fund.
Rehn said it "should be possible for Ukraine to develop closer economic and political ties with the EU and maintain good neighborly relations with Russia."
Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said today that "no sensible European" would want to see economic sanctions, unless Russia escalates the crisis.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of European finance ministers in Athens, Rehn also said the European Union will make a swift payment of financial aid to Ukraine, as Kyiv is now facing a price hike on gas it buys from Russia.
The EU has pledged 11 billion euros (over $15 billion) as part of a package of support with the International Monetary Fund.
Rehn said it "should be possible for Ukraine to develop closer economic and political ties with the EU and maintain good neighborly relations with Russia."
You can also read RFE/RL's latest Ukraine news wrap here.
20:00
1.4.2014
More !!! BREAKING NEWS !!! from Brussels:
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya says Ukraine did not ask for NATO membership at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels today. Deshchytsya said there is "no legal basis" currently for Ukraine to apply for NATO membership.Deshchytsya also said Ukraine planned to pursue legal action against Russia in international tribunals in a bid to recover Crimea.
"We consider Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine and we are planning to submit legal cases to the international courts against Russia and against Russian actions in Crimea," he said. "We believe that with the international support, we will be able to return Crimea to Ukraine."
19:27
1.4.2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says that although the alliance has suspended "practical" civilian and military cooperation with Russia over Crimea, he expects NATO to continue to cooperate with Russia on antinarcotics initiatives and the situation in Afghanistan.
19:08
1.4.2014
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service has produced this video about recruits training with Ukraine's new National Guard:
18:26
1.4.2014
Our news desk is reporting an interesting development in Romania:
Romania's president says the United States wants to increase the number of troops and aircraft it has stationed at a Black Sea air base in eastern Romania.
President Traian Basescu said in a letter to parliament that Washington, Romania’s ally in NATO, wants to add up to 600 American troops to the 1,000 already stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base.
He said the United States also wants to be able to station more military aircraft at the base for "specific missions."
No further details were given.
The base is a few hundred kilometers from the Crimean peninsula.
U.S. forces have used the base since 1999, and it has been a major hub for U.S. forces and equipment leaving Afghanistan.
President Traian Basescu said in a letter to parliament that Washington, Romania’s ally in NATO, wants to add up to 600 American troops to the 1,000 already stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base.
He said the United States also wants to be able to station more military aircraft at the base for "specific missions."
No further details were given.
The base is a few hundred kilometers from the Crimean peninsula.
U.S. forces have used the base since 1999, and it has been a major hub for U.S. forces and equipment leaving Afghanistan.
17:47
1.4.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has just issued a short item on the breaking news from Brussels:
NATO says it is suspending "all practical civilian and military cooperation" with Russia in response to Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.
The decision was made by NATO foreign ministers at a meeting today in Brussels.
The ministers, however, said political dialogue with Moscow will continue within the NATO-Russia Council.
The NATO ministers also met todaywith Ukraine's acting foreign minister, Andriy Deshchytsya.
NATO said the ministers had agreed to intensify cooperation and promote defense reforms with Ukraine through training and other programs.
Earlier today, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that the crisis in Ukraine risks creating "new dividing lines" in Europe.
He also said he had seen no evidence of a reported Russian troop pullback from areas bordering Ukraine.
The decision was made by NATO foreign ministers at a meeting today in Brussels.
The ministers, however, said political dialogue with Moscow will continue within the NATO-Russia Council.
The NATO ministers also met todaywith Ukraine's acting foreign minister, Andriy Deshchytsya.
NATO said the ministers had agreed to intensify cooperation and promote defense reforms with Ukraine through training and other programs.
Earlier today, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that the crisis in Ukraine risks creating "new dividing lines" in Europe.
He also said he had seen no evidence of a reported Russian troop pullback from areas bordering Ukraine.
17:23
1.4.2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
Reports say NATO foreign ministers have agreed that the alliance should suspend all practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia in response to Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.
17:17
1.4.2014
Ukraine's gay activists helped overthrow the anti-gay Yanukovych. Now they're facing a fresh obstacle: the EU itself http://t.co/xeNZgiwVKN
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 1, 2014