German authorities do not recognize the Russian annexation of the Crimea peninsula. German companies will not work in this territory, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated, as reported by the newspaper Kommersant.

"This fact, of course, has consequences for German companies’ activities both directly in the Crimea and in connection with it. German companies won’t work there. Besides, concerning Siemens, the existing agreement was violated and, therefore, the investors have lost …

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is gradually moving away from the compulsory military service model, and will abandon it completely “sometime later”, RIA Novosti reports.

“We should bear in mind that we are gradually moving away from compulsory service in general,” the president said, adding that this process is taking place more slowly than planned due to budgetary limitations.

“But we are still working and will continue to work to ensure that it won’t be long before …

Ukraine is ready to suspend its membership in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in the event of Russia's return to PACE without the implementation by Moscow of the Assembly’s resolutions, reported LB.ua news website, citing diplomatic sources.

"A return of the aggressor country, Russia, which has not fulfilled any European resolutions, to the club of decent countries will force Kyiv to take retaliatory actions. We are not talking about a withdrawal of Ukraine from PACE …