U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has told European leaders that the United States "is now and will always be your greatest ally," seeking to assuage concerns about Washington's commitment to transatlantic ties under President Donald Trump. Speaking on February 18 at the Munich Security Conference, Pence said the United States will "hold Russia accountable" for interference in Ukraine even as it seeks "common ground" with Moscow, which he said Trump believes can be found. (Reuters)
A video summary of the first day (Friday) of the Munich Security Conference:
Pence tells Europe U.S. remains its "greatest ally," urges more defense spending:
By RFE/RL
MUNICH, Germany -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has told European leaders that the United States "is now and will always be your greatest ally," seeking to assuage concerns about Washington's commitment to transatlantic ties under President Donald Trump.
Speaking on February 18 at the Munich Security Conference, Pence said the "enduring bond" between the United States and Europe is built not only on "strength of arms" but on shared values and principles "that we cherish: freedom, democracy, justice, and the rule of law."
He said he brought a message from Trump: "The United States of America strongly supports NATO and will be unwavering" in its support for the alliance.
At the same time, Pence forcefully repeated Trump's calls for European allies to shoulder their share of the financial burden, saying that only five NATO members have reached a target of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense and several have no clear path to that goal.
"It's time to do more," Pence said.
He said that the United States will "hold Russia accountable" for interference in Ukraine even as it seeks "common ground" with Moscow, which he said Trump believes can be found.
Russia must uphold the 2015 Minsk cease-fire and peace deal signed in Belarus, and must start by de-escalating violence in eastern Ukraine, Pence said.
He also said the United States is committed to ensuring that Iran cannot obtain nuclear weapons.
Merkel: NATO, West must protect principle of territorial integrity:
By RFE/RL
MUNICH, Germany -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Western states must protect the principle of territorial integrity and NATO needs to strengthen its eastern flank following Russia's interference in Ukraine.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on February 18, Merkel said that territorial integrity is a crucial foundation of the post-World War II order.
She said there was "great anxiety" about the situation in eastern Ukraine, where a war between Russia-backed separatists and government forces continues nearly three years after it erupted following Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Those Russian actions "highlighted" the importance of NATO, she said, and made clear it needed to bolster its strength on its eastern flank.
Merkel said she was committed to seeking a political solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine and supported the 2015 Minsk agreement, and she was "against throwing something out that may still be useful."
She added that she was committed to meeting NATO's goal of each member spending 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.
Merkel said she wanted good relations with Russia and believes it is in the common interest of Russia and the West to fight international terrorism.
She also said that Western countries had a "responsibility to bear" in accepting refugees and tackling the root causes leading people to flee their countries.
Merkel called for countries to work together, saying they must do so if they are to be strong.
"Will we be able to act in concert, or will we fall back into parochial policies...? Let us stand together and make the world a better place," she said.
We are now closing the live blog for today, but we'll be back again tomorrow morning to follow all the latest developments. Until then, you can keep up with all our other Ukraine coverage here.
And here's another late item from RFE/RL's news desk:
UNICEF Says 1 Million Children In Eastern Ukraine Require Urgent Aid
The United Nations says the number of children in urgent need of humanitarian aid in eastern Ukraine has nearly doubled during the past year to 1 million.
The UN's agency for children, UNICEF, said in a report on February 17 that the crisis is the result of the "steady deterioration" of life in eastern Ukraine, where an estimated 1.7 million people have been internally displaced by the volatile conflict in the region.
More than 9,750 people have been killed since fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in March 2014 between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces.
UNICEF said many families have lost their sources of income, social benefits, and access to health care at a time when the cost of living has increased substantially.
"This is an invisible emergency -- a crisis most of the world has forgotten,' said Giovanna Barberis, the UNICEF representative in Ukraine.
"Children in eastern Ukraine have been living under the constant threat of unpredictable fighting and shelling for the past three years," Barberis said. "Their schools have been destroyed, they have been forced from their homes, and their access to basic commodities like heat and water has been cut off."
The UN organization said the situation is "particularly grave" for an estimated 200,000 children living within 15 kilometers from each side of the so-called "contact line" in eastern Ukraine.
The contact line divides areas controlled by the government and nongovernment forces, and it is where fighting is the fiercest.
UNICEF once again calls for all sides to immediately recommit to the cease-fire signed in Minsk in 2015 and to respect international humanitarian law, including allowing unrestricted humanitarian access.
It urged the sides to allow unrestricted access for groups that provide humanitarian assistance.
"After three horrific years, children in eastern Ukraine urgently need lasting peace so that their unnecessary suffering ends," Barberis said.
Here is today's map of the latest situation in the Donbas conflict zone, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry:
