US Permanent Representative to the UN Nikki Haley said Washington will not abolish or weaken penal measures against Russia in an interview with CNN, which aired on Sunday, June 4. "There's no easing up on Russia until they start really becoming part of the Minsk Agreement and following through on what they're supposed to do," the diplomat said in response to a question from the presenter about the alleged attempt of the White House to press the State Department to initiate a process of lifting …

Russian President Vladimir Putin saw Lieutenant-General Michael Flynn, former U.S. National Security Advisor, but was not acquainted with him. The head of Russia said this in an interview with NBC, an excerpt of which is posted on the American television network’s website.

Putin was asked to explain how, in 2015, Flynn was sitting at a table with him at a reception for the news channel Russia Today. According to the Russian leader, when he arrived at the event, a certain gentleman was sitting …

Ukraine is expanding its collaboration with Turkey and also beginning a partnership with China and Malaysia in the area of Antarctic research, as reported by the press service of the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine.

“During the bilateral meetings with the Chinese and Malaysian delegations we agreed to have discussions about collaboration and as a result of them to sign memoranda regarding scientific and technological collaboration in the area of Antarctic research,” said Dmitry …

The head of the Foreign Ministry of Germany said that the main condition for the lifting of sanctions against Russia would be for Russia to implement the Minsk agreements, Espresso TV reported.

"During his visit to St. Petersburg at the international economic forum that is taking place there on June 1-3, Foreign Minister of Germany Sigmar Gabriel discussed the situation in Ukraine with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin," the German media reports.

During his meeting with …

The Chief Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Russian Armed Forces could be behind the cyber-attack at the headquarters of French President Emmanuel Macron, as reported by Russian Insider publication, citing its own investigation.

In May, Insider wrote that the name of Georgiy Roshka, an employee of ZAO Evrika, which works with the Russian Ministry of Defense, appeared in the files from the hacked correspondence of Macron's headquarters. It also reported that in 2014, Roshka allegedly …

The Swiss Embassy in Ukraine has sent 600 tons of humanitarian aid to the uncontrolled territory of the Donetsk region, as reported the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on their website.

“30 trucks from the Swiss Embassy went through Novotroitske checkpoint to the uncontrolled territory,” the message on the web site reads.

According to the information of the border guards, the trucks transported humanitarian cargo for residents of Donetsk region with a total weight of about 600 tons. …

The commander of the separatist battalion Vostok, Aleksandr Khodakovsky, has been denied entry to Russia.

"I, myself am under certain pressure to some degree. I already have two pieces of paper forbidding the entry to Russia," Khodakovsky said on his YouTube channel. According to him, he does not understand the reasons for this ban.

Earlier, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) reported that Russian special services could possibly target the separatist field commanders Bezler and Khodakovsky. …

Russia's ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, described his relationship with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of White House chief Donald Trump, as "daily contact." Kislyak said this in New York, in response to a request by journalists to explain the allegations about his possible ties with Kushner.

"I do not comment on my daily contacts; and this is our policy, which applies not only to conversations with Kushner, but to all of our daily conversations," Kislyak said.

He also added that …