RFE/RL's news desk has been watching Putin's speech in the Duma today -- and they've sent us this item:
Putin Says Russia Must Respond To 'Aggressive' Western Actions, Rhetoric
President Vladimir Putin told Russia's State Duma on June 22 that the country "must think about its own security" when confronted by what he called "NATO's aggressive actions near Russia's borders."
Putin told lawmakers at the final plenary session of the current State Duma that Moscow would "adequately respond" to "aggressive Western rhetoric."
Putin also said that the world should confront international terrorism by creating what he described as a security system that transcends existing alliances.
He said Russia is "ready for dialogue" on creating such a security system.
Putin praised lawmakers in the lower chamber of parliament for supporting Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.
Although June 22 is the final plenary session for the 6th State Duma, the five-year term of office for deputies formally ends in September.
Legislative elections in Russia, originally planned for December 4, have been brought forward to September 18 with all 450 seats in the State Duma at stake.
Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with a couple of tweets that caught our eye overnight:
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume again tomorrow morning, you can keep up with all our other Ukraine coverage here.
Here's an update from our news desk:
Ukrainian PM Expects $1.7 Billion From IMF This Year
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman has said his country will receive a total of $1.7 billion in financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this year.
Hroysman made the announcement in Kyiv on June 21 after returning from an official trip to Washington.
The IMF approved a four-year $17.5-billion bailout last year for Ukraine, which is emerging from a political crisis and has been engulfed in a conflict with Russia-backed separatists for more than two years.
The Washington-based organization has been frustrated by the slow passage of reforms in Ukraine. Kyiv has so far received $6.7 billion of the IMF's loan package and seen no new disbursements since August 2015.
Hroysman’s cabinet, which took over in April, has pledged to resume cooperation with the IMF to underpin recovery from a recession and boost reserves.
The country’s economy, which declined by 9.9 percent in 2015, is expected to grow 1.5 percent this year, according to Hroysman.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, UNIAN, and Bloomberg
Not directly relevant to Ukraine, but still pertinent given the current climate:
Here's a press release issued today by the U.S. State Department:
On June 21, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet with senior Ukrainian government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including reform priorities and Minsk implementation.
She will then travel to Moscow, Russia to meet with senior Russian government officials to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and next steps to implement the Minsk agreements in support of the Normandy countries and the Trilateral Contact Group.