Contents tagged with Europe
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Kremlin calls US actions against Nord Stream-2 'international racketeering'
The press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the Kremlin sees the United States’ hostile attitude towards the Russian project "Nord Stream-2" as attempts of unfair competition, reports RBC news agency.
“We are all aware that we are dealing with attempts of unfair competition, and sometimes with actions that are actually comparable to racketeering and raiding on the international level,” he said.
Peskov added that instead, the White House should think about how to …
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Denmark refuses to authorize Nord Stream 2
Denmark is threatening to make things difficult for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. Russia has already laid one third of the pipeline alongside this small Scandinavian country, but Denmark has still not given permission for construction. Experts are predicting that Russia will lose its temper, because the delays are causing huge unforeseen costs. Denmark, on the other hand, is struggling to decide who to side with – neighboring Germany or the powerful US.
The political fears …
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OSCE calls on the parties in Donbas conflict to come to a sustainable ceasefire
Following the meeting of the Tripartite Contact Group, Martin Sajdik, the OSCE Special Representative for the Tripartite Contact Group on Ukraine, said that the armistice from March 8 was unsatisfactory, Interfax Ukraine reported.
“A few days ago, the Security Working Group reached a decision on recommitment to the ceasefire, starting from 8 March 2019,” Sajdik told the reporters.
“Although the first days that followed showed a reduction of ceasefire violations by 61% as compared with the …
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Estonia warns of the threat of war between Russia and NATO
The Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service warned in its new annual report "International Security and Estonia" that “The only serious threat to regional security, including the existence and sovereignty of Estonia and other Baltic Sea states, emanates from Russia.” The Service came to that conclusion after analyzing Russia's military exercises.
Estonian intelligence noted that last year “Russia continued the military build-up along its western border.” According to Estonian intelligence, …
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Austrian Foreign Minister urges Russia to release Ukrainian sailors
During a joint press conference with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl urged the Russian authorities to release the captured Ukrainian military sailors, as well as other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, in particular, director Oleh Sentsov and activist Vladimir Balukh, reports Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
“Austria regrets the military escalation in the Kerch Strait on November 25th. In connection with this, we …
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European Parliament: Russia is no longer a strategic partner
At a plenary session on Tuesday 12 March, European Parliament passed a resolution that reassesses Russia’s relationship with the EU.
The resolution was adopted with 402 votes to 163 and 89 abstentions, and was based on a report by Latvian MEP Sandra Kalniete.
The document states that Russia can no longer be considered a strategic partner of the EU. The primary reason for this is Moscow’s violation of international law and democratic principles, specifically the occupation and annexation of …
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Estonia puts forward territorial claims against Russia
The city of Ivangorod in Russia’s Leningrad region and part of the Pskov region belonged to the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, and should be returned to Estonia, said Henn Polluaas, deputy chairperson of Estonia’s Conservative People’s Party, as reported by Sputnik.Estonia.
“Russia took these territories from us by force. Of course, we would not be able to take them back by force. But we have waited 50 years for the restoration of our independence, and we can wait longer and longer. …
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European Committee for the Prevention of Torture condemns Russia for human rights abuse in Chechnya
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture accused Russia of not cooperating on the situation in Chechnya and two other republics of the North Caucasus, Mediazone reported with a reference to the Committee's statement.
The organization stated that torture in Chechnya shows the failure of the republic's authorities to fulfill their duties, as well as to the lack of state control over the situation. The committee believes that Russia does not recognize the seriousness of what is …
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Austria summons Ukrainian ambassador after journalist Christian Wehrschütz banned entry to Ukraine
The Ukrainian ambassador in Vienna, Olexander Scherba, was summoned to the Austrian Foreign Ministry because of a one-year ban for Austrian journalist Christian Wehrschütz to enter Ukraine.
According to the report published on the Austrian Foreign Ministry’s website, the Ukrainian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for a talk with the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Johannes Peterlik, reports Interfax-Ukraine.
"Peterlik demanded to lift the entry ban, …
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China to invest in construction of tunnel under the Baltic Sea
Helsingin Snomat newspaper reported that Chinese fund Touchstone Capital Partners decided to invest in a large-scale Finnish project, the construction of a railway tunnel under the Baltic Sea.
According to the report, China is ready to allocate 15 billion euros in stages as necessary but not in a single payment. Touchstone will invest in construction through the Chinese logistics project “One Belt, One Road” that involves the development of transport infrastructure in Eurasia.
The undersea …