The former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, David Petraeus, and former high-ranking American diplomat, John Herbst, called on the US government to increase military assistance to Ukraine, explaining that the relative calm in eastern Ukraine is only a tactical trick of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

"Despite the reduced level of open Russian aggression, it seems that this is a temporary tactic to have the sanctions lifted despite the expansion of Russian military …

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted an appeal to the parliaments of foreign countries with regard to Russia and the threats of pro-Russian separatists to execute prisoners held in the Donbas region.  This was stated in two resolutions, which were approved by 236 out of 239 deputies on the 18th of February.

The Ukrainian parliament has called on foreign countries to “use all available mechanisms at governmental, parliament and non-governmental levels.  They should also give a clear signal …

The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a note of protest to the Russian Ambassador in Tallinn over an incident on Thursday in which a Russian military helicopter allegedly violated Estonian airspace. The episode occurred near the village of Vaskarnava near the Russian-Estonian border.

The helicopter did not attempt to contact Estonian air traffic controllers.

The Russian Defense Ministry denies the allegations. “On February 18th, Army helicopters did not fly in the area,” the …

France’s far-right National Front party has asked Russia for a €27 million loan to help finance its 2017 election campaigns, The Times reported on Friday, citing the party’s treasurer, Wallerand de Saint-Just.

In 2014, the National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, received an €11 million loan from a bank with Russian ties. At the time, French media claimed that the loan bought the party’s support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Le Pen’s party claims that the results of the Crimean referendum in 2 …

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the potential sale of 30 Mi-8/17 helicopters to Budapest, despite the EU’s sanctions banning such transactions.

According to an informed source who spoke with UNIAN, "the Hungarian Ministry of Defense wants to buy about 30 multipurpose helicopters Mi-8/17 from Russia. The contract value is estimated to be more than $ 400 million. Orban's visit to Moscow on February 17th included a discussion of a contract.” …

Ukraine intends to prove that the $3 billion loan given by Russia to former Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, was first and foremost a bribe. This was stated by Klimkin in an interview with the Ukrinform news agency on Thursday, February 18th, in Kiev.

"Of course, we will work at aiming to prove that it was indeed a bribe. And the fact that this case will be considered by a London court gives us more opportunities to do so. We are preparing for this and all the corresponding statements …

Moscow and Yerevan have reached an agreement that will provide Armenia with $200 million to purchase Russian arms, according to the Russian government’s official legal data website.

"The Russian side is providing the Armenian side with a state export loan of up to $200 million for financing the delivery of Russian military products in line with the list contained in Appendix No1 to this agreement," the government website reported.

The 10-year agreement will cover the purchase of a variety of …

Moody’s, the American rating agency, has lowered the forecast of the Russian GDP to 2.5%.  This is according to press release by Moody’s, as reported by the RBC news agency on the 18th of February.  The previous forecast had assumed a 1% decline in the GDP.

Moody’s has also adjusted the forecast of Brazil’s GDP to 3%, Saudi Arabia’s GDP to 1.5% and South Africa’s GDP to 0%.  According to Moody’s, the reason for changing the forecasts of the main oil-producing countries, such as Saudi Arabia …