Maryna Poroshenko, wife of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has been in Washington to attend the unveiling of a monument to the victims of the Holodomor famine of 1932-1933:
Good morning. We'll start the live blog with this report from our news desk on some comments that came in overnight from Washington:
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has accused Russia of endangering world order, citing its incursions in Ukraine and loose talk about nuclear weapons.
Carter said Russia is undertaking "challenging activities" at sea, in the air, in space, and in cyberspace.
Carter said the U.S. defense establishment is searching for creative ways to deter Russian aggression and protect U.S. allies.
His remarks were made on November 7 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, after eight days of travel in Asia.
"Most disturbing, Moscow's nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russian leaders' commitment to strategic stability, their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons, and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear-age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons," he said.
Carter also expressed concern about China's expanding influence and growing military might. But he reserved his stronger words for Russia.
Carter cited several pillars of the international order that he argued should be defended and strengthened: peaceful resolution of disputes, freedom from coercion, respect for state sovereignty, and freedom of navigation.
(AFP, AP)
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume again tomorrow morning, you can keep up with all out other Ukraine coverage here.
Here's an update from our news desk on the withdrawal of light weapons:
Ukraine's military says it has finished a withdrawal of light weapons from frontlines with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, where clashes erupted in recent days despite a cease-fire.
Army spokesman Oleksandr Zavtonov said on November 7 that the military withdrew its 82 mm caliber mortars from the villages of Pisky and Opytne near the ruins of Donetsk airport, which was ravaged by fierce battles last year.
The AFP news agency said a military convoy transporting mortars could be seen moving away from government positions in Pisky towards an arms depot.
Meanwhile, the separatists have said they pulled out their light weapons from the area on November 5.
A similar withdrawal took place in the Luhansk area in October.
On November 6, foreign ministers from Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France agreed to try to complete a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the frontlines.
Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the end of November is the target date for the removal of mines, which have claimed scores of victims.
A peace deal signed in February in Minsk calls for a vote to be held in the separatist regions under international auspices.
Those elections have now been pushed back to early 2016.
(AFP, TASS)