• US to help Ukrainian Armed Forces create rapid response units

    The United States is ready to continue to support Ukraine.

    According to Douglas Hoyt, the head of the military-political department of the US Embassy in Ukraine, American specialists will join a team creating a special unit of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). The main function of this unit would be to act as a rapid resonse team.  As reported by the press service of the Ministry, this was discussed during a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs on European Integration, …

  • Poroshenko: Ukraine has Survived First Winter without Russian Gas

    The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, said that the country has demonstrated its independence from Russian gas during the autumn-winter heating season, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

    "Russia thought that they would bring us to our knees by offering gas at $212/cubic meter.  I discussed this with the Minister who called Russia and said: 'No, we will not take your gas,'" Poroshenko stated.

    According to Poroshenko, Ukraine now buys gas from Europe, which costs less than buying gas from …

  • OSCE: Situation in Donbas region remains highly volatile

    Deputy Chief Monitor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Alexander Hug, held a news conference in Kiev in which he outlined the general security situation in the Donbas region. Hug highlighted several areas in eastern Ukraine where tensions are rising between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian-backed separatists of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR).

    The …

  • Sanctions against Yanukovych's Inner Circle could be Reduced in March

    In March, the list of EU sanctions against Yanukovych's supporters may be significantly reduced. Ukraine has not yet proven the illegality of the funds withdrawn overseas by ex-officials.For almost two years, Ukrainian law enforcement officers have been investigating the economic crimes of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych and his associates. During this time the European Union has levied sanctions against former Ukrainian officials by blocking their accounts in European banks. According to the …

  • Canadian Foreign Minister: Lavrov's Words on the Ukrainian Diaspora Are Inadmissible

    Canada’s Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion said that the statements about Ukrainian Diaspora made by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, were inadmissible. Liga.net reported that Dion was quoted by Boris Wrzesnewskyj, a member of Canadian Parliament.

    In particular, Dion noted that Canada is outraged by the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, and emphasized Ukraine's important role in Canada’s history. “We absolutely disagree with this invasion and with Russian government …