• Stoltenberg: Russia is attempting to divide NATO

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that Russia is attempting to divide the alliance using various means.

    “What we have seen over long time is a more assertive Russia, using many different means to try to intimidate its neighbors and to try to also divide the NATO alliance,” Stoltenberg stated.

    The Secretary General went on to explain that NATO is responding to the threat using several strategies.

    “We are responding in a very unified way, adapting our …

  • Dutch investigators to determine launch site of missile that brought down MH17

    The Dutch Prosecutor, who is leading the investigation into the people responsible for the downing of flight MH17, stated that the Netherlands has received all necessary information from the U.S.A. concerning the investigation of the Boeing-777 crash over The Donbas, Deutsche Welle reported.

    Fred Westerbeke stated that it is impossible to predict the completion date of the investigation. However, he promised to report the exact site of the anti-aircraft missile launch and its model this summer. …

  • Former US Ambassador to Ukraine: Jaresko could become Prime Minister as early as this week

    The former United States Ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer, posted on Twitter that Natalie Jaresko could become the Prime Minister of Ukraine. “There is increased reporting from Kiev that the Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Natalie Jaresko, will be appointed as the Prime Minister of Ukraine, perhaps, as soon as this week,” Pifer wrote.

    Earlier, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, Aivaras Abromavičius, who resigned from his post because of political pressure on his …

  • Stoltenberg calls for rapid reform of Ukrainian Armed Forces

    The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, in a meeting with the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Stepan Poltorak, stressed the need to make decisions on reforms of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their effective implementation, according to the published report of the March 8th meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

    Jens Stoltenberg also assured him of NATO’s support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and noted that the Alliance will …

  • Russia refuses to supply new missiles to Iran after Tehran secretly armed Hezbollah with Russian arms

    The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jareeda recently published an article that claims that Russia has delayed shipment of S-300 anti-aircraft missile system supplies to Iran for reasons other than financial difficulties. According to Al-Jareeda, Moscow is displeased with Iran’s breach of obligations not to provide missile weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah. The story was quickly circulated by the Israeli media, in particular, by The Jerusalem Post, Maariv and Israel Hayom.

    The Hezbollah allegedly received …

  • Fitch forecasts decline in Russian GDP in 2016

    The Fitch international ratings agency revised the forecast on Russia’s gross domestic product or GDP. As reported on the Fitch website, experts believe that the Russian GDP will fall by 1.5% this year.

    As early as last December, they forecasted 0.5% GDP growth but in February 2016 this changed to a 1% decline. Low oil prices in Russia reduced oil company profits that led to budget tightening policies.

    Meanwhile, high interest rates and declining salaries are reducing consumption, the Fitch …

  • EU expected to extend sanctions against Russia and former Ukrainian officials

    The EU sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian citizens will be formally extended, without debate, on Thursday.  Brussels holds these citizens accountable for undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

    It is predicted that the list will contain 146 people and 37 entities.  This was reported by RIA Novosti, citing EU sources.  Three people have been excluded from this list as they are now deceased.  These sanctions will be extended until the 15th of September.

    According to diplomatic …

  • NATO troops participate in winter mountain training exercise in Georgia

    Basic winter mountain training as part of the NATO program, Partnership for Peace, is currently being conducted in Bajuriani, Goergia. This was stated on the website of the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

    According to Sputnik-Georgia, Military personnel from Turkey, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan are are participating in the exercises.

    These exercises are conducted by the trainers of the Sachkhere Mountain Training School.  At the end of the training, soldiers will …

  • Petro Poroshenko to visit Turkey

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is scheduled to pay an official visit to the Republic of Turkey on March 9th and 10th. According to the administration’s press service, “negotiations with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Ismail Kahraman have been scheduled.”

    The two-day visit will include the fifth meeting of the high level strategy council between Ukraine and Turkey. Formal meetings with Turkish …

  • Iran plans to transport oil to Europe through Ukraine

    The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Hennadiy Zubko stated on 112 Ukraine TV Channel that Kiev and Tehran are discussing the possibility of supplying of oil from Iran to Europe via transit through Ukraine, as well as refining oil in Ukrainian oil processing plants. According to Zubko, Ukraine is interested in diversification of import supplies of oil products.

    “On the other hand, Iran is interested in diversification of export of its oil and oil products. That is why the question is about …