Contents tagged with EU

  • U.S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations calls on Europe to extend sanctions against Russia

    The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations addressed the President of the European Council with a call on the EC to extend sanctions against Russia because of its military aggression in Ukraine. The Committee’s leadership office circulated the text of the document on Monday, Ukrinform reported.

    “We write to call on the European Council to extend sanctions of EU against Russia this month. According to the SMM OSCE reports, at least 112 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and more than 700 were …

  • Ukrainian MP: The return of the Russian delegation to PACE would mean the collapse of the Council of Europe

    The Chairman of the Ukrainian Delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Volodymyr Ariev, went on the air on Ukraine TV Channel 112 where he criticized the possible return and participation of the Russian delegation in PACE meetings. Ariev reported that Ukraine sent a serious force of diplomats to the current PACE session because a serious desire for the return of the Russian delegation was expressed during the Bureau meeting in May.

    According to Ariev, this decision …

  • Savchenko expects that Ukraine will move in the same direction as Europe

    Ukrainian MP and official delegate to the Parliamentary Council of Europe Nadiya Savchenko expects that Ukraine will move in the same direction as Europe, UNIAN reported.

    "First of all, I returned, and I just started to work. That’s my job.  On the other hand, I expect movement in the same direction as Europe; agreements, understanding and clear action,” Savchenko said before the PACE session in Strasbourg.

    Savchenko was held in a Russian prison for nearly two years, and on May 25th was freed …

  • NATO proposes the creation of a 'military Schengen zone'

    The commander of U.S. ground forces in Europe, Lt. General Ben Hodges, expressed the need for the unrestsricted movement of military units of the alliance countries.

    The U.S. commander of ground forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, spoke in favor of the creation of a so-called military ‘Schengen zone’ in order to facilitate quick and unrestricted movement of NATO units. "We need a military Schengen zone so allied units can move at the pace fo the growing threats," Hodges stated during the …

  • Ukrainian Ambassador angered by Ban Ki-moon's praise of Russia's role in Ukraine's peace process

    Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Volodymyr Yelchenko, has voiced his anger at statements made by the UN’s Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

    Ki-moon has said that Russia should play a crucial role in ending the conflict in Donbas.

    According to Yelchenko, he does not understand how the head of the UN can “make statements, which are actually praising Russia’s role in resolving the conflict, when Russia is actually a major player in aggression towards Ukraine and in …

  • Dutch PM suggested that the agreement with Ukraine may not be signed

    Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said that there is still a chance that the country will not sign the Association Agreement with Ukraine. This was reported by Dutch broadcaster, NOS.

    Rutte did however express hope that the agreement will still be signed.

    According to him, the results of April’s referendum in the Netherlands, with regard to the Association Agreement, were terrible.

    “I am categorically against the referenda. I am also categorically, absolutely and completely against the …

  • EU to decide on extension of sanctions against Russia on June 21st

    On the 21st of June, the European Union shall make a decision on extending sanctions against Russia, according to Agence France-Presse’s diplomatic sources. The decision will be approved on the 24th of June during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU countries. Another discussion of the sanctions will take place during the second half of 2016.

    “I have a feeling that something should be done in the second half of this year,” the source said. As previously reported, the EU intends to …

  • President of Moldova called on the EU and US to continue sanctions against Russia

    The President of Moldova, Nicolae Timofti, called on the European Union and the United States of America to extend sanctions against Russia.

    During a meeting on Saturday with the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Bohuslav Sobotka, who arrived to Chisinau on a visit, the President of Moldova recalled that the separatist region of his country, Transnistria, was the Kremlin’s "first experiment" in instigating a Pro-Russian separatist conflict.

    Moscow supported the separatists in Transnistria …

  • The EU will continue to provide assistance to farmers affected by Russian food embargo

    Farmers, who have been affected by the Russian trade embargo on goods from the European Union, will receive financial assistance from the EU, Deutsche Welle reported. The assistance to agricultural producers previously approved has been extended until June 2017. It should be noted that Brussels spent 280 million Euros on assistance to farmers who have been affected by the Russian sanctions.

    In general, approximately 1.13 million tons of European fruits and vegetables were given free of charge …

  • Finland is ready to support visa-free travel for Ukrainians and Georgians to the EU

    Finland is ready to support visa-free travel for Ukrainian and Georgian citizens to the EU, but is not prepared to do the same for citizens of Turkey and Kosovo, according to the Finnish Secretary of State, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Yle reported.

    As stated by Heinonen, Turkey and Kosovo have not fulfilled the conditions necessary to receive a visa-free regime with the EU.

    "The issue of visa-free regime for Turkey remains open," the Finnish Secretary of State said following a meeting of EU …