The water-throwing comes at around 2:35, if you're interested...
Here's what the dispute was all about...
Ukraine minister throws water in governor's face in new row
Kiev, Dec 15, 2015 (AFP) -- Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov threw water at the reformist governor and former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, in the latest high-profile spat illustrating growing tensions within Kiev's pro-Western coalition.
The incident between the Odessa region governor close to President Petro Poroshenko and Avakov -- an ally of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk -- happened late Monday during a government meeting behind closed doors.
Avakov wrote in his Facebook Tuesday that he had thrown a glass of water at Saakashvili -- one of the most popular politicians in Ukraine -- in the course of a heated debate over the privatisation of the Odessa chemical plant, one of the largest in the country.
Saakashvili, who was appointed this year, over recent weeks has accused the Yatsenyuk government of corruption, particularly for rejecting the privatisation of the plant.
His rivals meanwhile accused him of trying to sell it to a Russian tycoon despite the unprecedented crisis in the relations between Kiev and Moscow amid the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.
"The governor of Odessa lost control over himself, started shouting at me 'You are corrupt!' and began to insult me," Avakov wrote, adding that he refrained from hitting him, instead throwing water in his face.
Saakashvili confirmed that Avakov had tried to throw a glass of water at him.
The governor, who received Ukrainian citizenship before his appointment and recently had his Georgian passport revoked, also accused Avakov and Yatsenyuk of ordering him to "get the hell out" of Ukraine, remarks that were confirmed by other meeting participants.
He called for the video of the incident to be made public as proof of "indecent and provocative behaviour" of the two men.
President Poroshenko was forced to close the meeting and the press conference on its results was cancelled.
The president's spokesman said "such altercations are a disgrace to the country," indicating that the altercation would not be broadcast.
This was the second incident within a week between the president's and prime minister's teams which make up the pro-Western coalition.
On Friday, a fight erupted in Ukraine's parliament after an MP from Poroshenko's faction picked up Yatsenyuk and hoisted him away from the podium while the prime minister was defending his embattled government's record.
Such rows highlight the fragile nature of Ukraine's pro-Western coalition as it struggles with the economic crisis and the deadly conflict with pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country.
Lithuania, Poland warn EU over closer trade ties with Russia
Vilnius, Dec 16, 2015 (AFP) -- Lithuania and Poland have warned Brussels against sending "encouraging" signals to Moscow over closer trade ties with a Russian-led bloc amid tensions over Ukraine.
"We are surprised and concerned about the recent signals sent to the Russian Federation, which provide overly an optimistic [sic] perspective," the two countries' foreign ministers said in a letter.
The warning reflects concerns in eastern Europe that the West may ease its pressure on the Kremlin over Ukraine and seek re-engagement with Moscow in return for help in war-torn Syria.
Referring to recent demands by EU leaders that the 28-member bloc should work closer with the Eurasian Economic Union promoted by Moscow, the ministers said stronger economic ties were not "today's question".
Instead, the ministers whose countries joined the EU in 2004 said "optimistic and encouraging signals" undermined talks aimed at overcoming Russia's opposition to a free trade accord between Ukraine and the EU.
In the letter to top EU officials, seen by AFP, Lithuania's Linas Linkevicius and his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski added that deeper economic ties with Russia hinged on a set of conditions related to Ukraine.
These include, among others, compliance with the Minsk agreements on Ukraine, the re-establishment of Ukraine's territorial integrity and Russia's willingness to drop trade restrictions against the EU, they said.
The ministers also complained that while Russia does little to meet the conditions, the West barely mentions them in its calls for closer ties.
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker proposed closer cooperation between the EU and the Russian-led union last month, while German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also recently promoted cooperation with the bloc.
The EU is expected to roll over sanctions against Russia imposed over Moscow's interference in Ukraine for another six months later this week.
Ukraine to suspend trade with Crimea in 30 days - PM Yatsenyuk
KYIV, Dec 16 (Reuters) -- Ukraine will suspend trade with Crimea in 30 days time, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Wednesday, adding that restoring electricity to the peninsula will be a separate issue.
Crimea, annexed by Russia last year, is suffering blackouts after four pylons that supplied the peninsula were blown up in November, worsening diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
The stand-off prompted Russia to suspend coal exports to Ukraine in retaliation, while Ukraine said it would suspend cargo shipments to Crimea.
"In accordance with the decision by the cabinet, which will come into effect in 30 days ... supplying goods, work, services to Crimea is banned," Yatsenyuk said in a government meeting.
"As far as electricity is concerned, these supplies can be provided exclusively based on a decision by the Security and Defense Council," he said.
Italy's Renzi Says Russian Sanctions To Be Reviewed Next Year
Italy says that European and other Western countries are likely to review their economic sanctions against Russia next year.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on December 16 that he would not prevent a further six-month extension of EU sanctions against Russia, due to expire on January 31.
The extension is expected to be approved by EU member countries later this week after opening discussion on them on December 17.
But Renzi added that he believes the sanctions will be reviewed or revised "in the coming months."
Italy has major trade ties with Russia and its economy has been severely damaged by the sanctions imposed on Moscow because of its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support for separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Last week, Italy unexpectedly blocked an automatic rollover of the EU sanctions, saying the issue required further discussion.
Italy is reportedly upset by the demise of Russia's South Stream pipeline project that would have brought Russian natural gas to Austria and Italy for further distribution to Europe.
Based on reporting Reuters and AP
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
An excerpt:
President Putin attacked the Ukraine both physically and verbally for two years, but it turned out his propaganda did not work. For instance, hardly anyone believes that the Fascists govern in the Ukraine, as he stated. It also turned out the Ukrainians have not demanded to be joined to Russia. He did not even manage to persuade the Ukrainians living in territories occupied by pro-Russian rebels supported by Putin; therefore, Putin’s silence is a sort of late admission that the Novorossiya operation (as Putin called the southeast part of the Ukraine, which he believes historically belongs to Russia – editor’s note) failed.
An excerpt:
Everything about Nadiya Savchenko is a statement, the declaration of a fighter going to war: The strong posture of a trained soldier, the firm look in her piercing blue eyes, her comments, even her jokes. Savchenko, a national hero in her home country, an enemy and defendant in Russia, just keeps smiling, and thanks reporters and foreign diplomats for coming.