13:40
21.5.2014
Meanwhile, Jose Manuel Barroso has been writing to Vladimir Putin about gas supplies (from RFE/RL's news desk):
EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to ensure natural gas flows to Ukraine while talks on prices and Kyiv's debt to Moscow continue.
Barroso wrote today that Ukraine has shown a willingness to pay its gas debts to Russia and that trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU should continue and a "future price [for natural gas for Ukraine] that reflects market conditions" must be found.
Russia's Gazprom has increased the price of gas for Ukraine from $268 to $485 per 1,000 cubic meters since the February ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a Kremlin ally.
Ukraine has rejected the increase and said on May 20 that Russia must revise its offer or Kyiv would take Russia to an arbitration court in Stockholm.
Barroso wrote today that Ukraine has shown a willingness to pay its gas debts to Russia and that trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU should continue and a "future price [for natural gas for Ukraine] that reflects market conditions" must be found.
Russia's Gazprom has increased the price of gas for Ukraine from $268 to $485 per 1,000 cubic meters since the February ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a Kremlin ally.
Ukraine has rejected the increase and said on May 20 that Russia must revise its offer or Kyiv would take Russia to an arbitration court in Stockholm.
13:06
21.5.2014
Third round of National Roundtable begins. A welcome symbol of Ukrainian national unity and resolve. pic.twitter.com/RohQj1w0FH
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) May 21, 2014
12:59
21.5.2014
Today at Trade Union building in Odessa - where more than 40 pro-Russians died - it says "Boycott fascist elections" pic.twitter.com/sduw9JhBeq
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) May 21, 2014
12:53
21.5.2014
Gas deal with China worth 400billion USD over 30 yrs. Far more important to Putin that any comments Prince Charles may have made about him.
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) May 21, 2014
12:45
21.5.2014
Some important developments from RFE/RL's news desk on a deal with China that could affect the Russia-EU gas dynamic, which has come under increased scrutiny since the crisis erupted in Ukraine:
Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom has signed a long-awaited memorandum of understanding on a huge natural-gas deal with China.
The accord, announced today, came on the sidelines of a visit to Shanghai by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
There were no pricing details on the deal, however, which is believed to involve Russia supplying 38 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China for the next 30 years via a new eastern pipeline linking the countries.
It has been unofficially valued at more than $400 billion.
Gazprom CEO Aleksei Miller is quoted as saying that the China contract price is a commercial secret.
Russia and China have been working on a deal for more than a decade, but a final agreement had been delayed due to price disagreements.
Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom has signed a long-awaited memorandum of understanding on a huge natural-gas deal with China.
The accord, announced today, came on the sidelines of a visit to Shanghai by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
There were no pricing details on the deal, however, which is believed to involve Russia supplying 38 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China for the next 30 years via a new eastern pipeline linking the countries.
It has been unofficially valued at more than $400 billion.
Gazprom CEO Aleksei Miller is quoted as saying that the China contract price is a commercial secret.
Russia and China have been working on a deal for more than a decade, but a final agreement had been delayed due to price disagreements.
12:36
21.5.2014
Donetsk is when you get in a cab and buckle up and the driver says, "We don't buckle up in Donetsk." And unbuckles your seat belt.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 21, 2014
12:25
21.5.2014
Our multimedia department has issued this subtitled version of Donetsk oligarch Rinat Akhmetov's latest tirade against separatist "imposters:"
11:49
21.5.2014
East Ukraine: "No one is going to vote because no one wants to get a bullet in their forehead" http://t.co/GTCjEuKDst pic.twitter.com/0mKpJL7kIc
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) May 21, 2014
11:02
21.5.2014
Video appeal from the Life News cameraman held by the Ukrainians https://t.co/L204z9N7Wi Kiev really ought to let them go.
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) May 21, 2014
11:01
21.5.2014
Our news desk reports on Joe Biden's trip to Romania, where he has been commenting on the election in Ukraine this weekend:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has warned Moscow against undermining the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election.
Speaking today in Bucharest alongside Romanian President Traian Basescu, Biden, said "we must be resolute" in enforcing sanctions against Moscow and that tougher measures could come if the May 25 polls are undermined.
Biden also reiterated NATO's Article 5 commitments, saying Russia's aggression in Crimea, less than 200 kilometers from alliance member Romania's borders, shows why it is still needed.
The vice president thanked Romania for increasing its defense budget to 2 percent of its gross domestic product.
Biden also said work is on track to open a antimissile shield in Deveselu, Romania, next year.
Basescu thanked Biden for the immediate U.S. reaction to the Ukrainian crisis by supplementing the U.S. Air Force presence in the region.
"This is proof that the U.S. is respecting its word," he said.
After talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Biden later said that Europe needs "a secure, diverse, and interconnected energy market" to ensure Russia can no longer use energy "as a weapon."
Speaking today in Bucharest alongside Romanian President Traian Basescu, Biden, said "we must be resolute" in enforcing sanctions against Moscow and that tougher measures could come if the May 25 polls are undermined.
Biden also reiterated NATO's Article 5 commitments, saying Russia's aggression in Crimea, less than 200 kilometers from alliance member Romania's borders, shows why it is still needed.
The vice president thanked Romania for increasing its defense budget to 2 percent of its gross domestic product.
Biden also said work is on track to open a antimissile shield in Deveselu, Romania, next year.
Basescu thanked Biden for the immediate U.S. reaction to the Ukrainian crisis by supplementing the U.S. Air Force presence in the region.
"This is proof that the U.S. is respecting its word," he said.
After talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Biden later said that Europe needs "a secure, diverse, and interconnected energy market" to ensure Russia can no longer use energy "as a weapon."