Romania is concerned about the increased Russian military activity in the Black Sea. Strengthening European security will be the main topic in January, when this country, in the order of rotation, will take over the European Union presidency, said Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor.

“The Russian Federation is using the Black Sea to move forces into the eastern Mediterranean areas,” stated Mihai Fifor at the international conference hosted by the Aspen Institute.

“The situation has changed …

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland warned that Russia’s participation in statutory bodies would be terminated if it did not pay its contributions to the OSCE budget in 2019, Evropeyska Pravda reports.

Jagland said that the Committee of Ministers can terminate Russia’s participation in the PACE and Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in accordance with the statute that imposes restrictions against the State that does not pay membership fees. Russia may …

The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Yoshihide Suga said that a protest was sent to the embassy in Moscow regarding the military exercises on the Kuril Islands, TASS reports. Suga pointed out to that “the increased presence of the Russian army on the four northern islands contradicts Tokyo’s position on this territorial dispute.”

Japan believes that it’s necessary to solve the territorial problem at its roots. It is determined to conduct “persistent negotiations.” The Sankei Shimbun newspaper …