The Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Sipilä, stated that negotiations on lifting the EU’s sanctions against Russia will be held only after the implementation of the Minsk agreements, as was reported by the Yle broadcasting company.

Sipilä was skeptical about the possible abolition of the EU sanctions against Russia and due to the lack of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Finland, according to the Prime Minister, fully supports the common EU line in this regard.

"The EU …

Latvia has no plans to create a NATO military base in the coastal city of Liepāja, as stated by the Ambassador of Latvia in Moscow, Astra Kurme, Postimees reports.

"There are no plans to create a NATO military base in Liepāja as such. The long-term national plans are being developed for the technical preparation of the port to service warships, as well as the creation of a number of other defense facilities of the Latvian Armed Forces," she said, adding that she does not see how this could be …

The USA will not supply man-portable air-defense systems or “MANPADS” to Syria to combat terrorists, Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said. “Our position regarding MANPADS has not changed,” he stressed while speaking with journalists, RIA Novosti reported.

American authorities are closely monitoring all actions that provide assistance to the opposition, Toner added. “Of course, I will never be able to say on any given battlefield—and we talked about this before—that equipment and assistance can’t …