Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • Representatives of Ukraine and so-called LPR agree to exchange prisoners

    Representatives of Ukraine and the so-called Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) have agreed to exchange a total of 12 prisoners on the 26th of February.  This exchange will occur in Minsk and is a result of the Trilateral Contact Group's meeting on the conflict settlement in the Donbas region.  This was reported to Interfax by the OSCE representative, Martin Sajdik.

    “On the 26th of February, the release of another group of people is planned,” Sajdik said.  He also reported that on February 20th, …

  • The Lithuanian Foreign Minister believes that it is too early to lift sanctions against Russia

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, commented on statements given by French politicians regarding the possible dangers of ongoing sanctions, saying that they not only affect the country’s economy, but the European Union (EU) as a whole. 

    Linkevičius noted that "no one is proud of the sanctions, but they were introduced for a reason".

    In an interview with Radio French International (RFI), Linkevičius stated that Russia’s annexation of Crimea was the reason for the  …

  • The EU is not satisfied with Ukraine's progress in fulfilling obligations for visa-free regime

    The EU is dissatisfied with Ukraine’s fulfillment of all legal obligations concerning the adoption of visa-free regime in 2016, according to a Facebook post by Sergey Leshchenko, member of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, after a meeting with the diplomats of the EU agencies in Brussels.  

    “More precisely, Ukraine has fulfilled three of the five requirements for adoption. The EU considered the amendments to three acts made last week but the EU did not consider a declaration law, according to …

  • Shevchenko's house demolished in Russia

    According to Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, the Ukrainian Minister of Culture, Russia has destroyed the residence of Taras Shevchenko in Orenburg.

    Celebrated Ukrainian poet and political figure Taras Shevchenko lived in this building in the city of Orenburg during his exile in 1849.

    The house of the 19th Century Ukrainian poet was demolished in spite of the fact it was registered as a cultural monument of architectural significance.

    Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has instructed his …

  • Trucking between Russia and Ukraine Resumes

    The Russian Ministry of Transport reported on the 24th of February that Russia and Ukraine have agreed on the resumption of transit as of the 25th of February. “All restrictions were indefinitely lifted,” the representative of the Russian Ministry of Transport, Nikolay Asaul, stated in his interview with Interfax. The Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure, Andriy Pyvovarsky, also reported about the resumption of transit between the two countries at a Cabinet meeting.

    According to Pyvovarsky, …

  • Transparency International: there has been no progress in investigation of elite corruption since Yanukovich escaped to Russia

    The head of Transparency International in Ukraine, Andrey Marusov, stated that there has been no progress in the investigation of elite corruption since the former President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich, escaped to Russia, as reported by the agency’s press service.

    “Since Yanukovich escaped to Russia, almost nothing has been done in Ukraine to investigate the numerous, serious accusations of elite corruption in relation to the former President of Ukraine and his followers. On the other hand, …

  • German Foreign Minister: Ukraine needs a zero tolerance policy on corruption

    On the 23rd of February, at the talks in Kiev, the Foreign Ministers of Germany and France called on the Ukrainian authorities to uproot corruption and to adopt electoral law in the regions of the Donbas controlled by separatists as soon as possible.

    “It is necessary to push ahead with the implementation of economic reforms. However, it is extremely important that this policy is based on a zero tolerance for corruption,” the Foreign Minister of France, Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated during the …

  • Klimkin: There has been no progress in freeing Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and Crimea

    At a joint briefing with the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany in Kiev on Tuesday, February 23rd, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin spoke of the lack of progress in the liberation of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and Crimea.

    "We are pleased that a few days ago we managed to exchange hostages and that our men have already been in Kiev for the past few days - this is very good news. However, we haven’t seen any positive changes and don't have any progress with …

  • Russia issues appeal to Ukraine to bilaterally lift restrictions on transit

    The head of the Association of International Road Carriers of Ukraine (AIRCU), Leonid Kostyuchenko, commenting on the statement of the Ministry of Transport, reported to UNIAN that Ukraine has received an official appeal from the Russian Federation concerning the bilateral lifting of restrictions on transit through both countries.

    “We hope that Ukraine and Russia will reach an agreement on the bilateral lifting of restrictions on transit tomorrow. Russia has already sent a letter offering to …

  • Ukraine and NATO to implement regional airspace security program

    Experts from NATO Regional Airspace Safety Program (RASP) and officials of Ukrainian Air Forces met on the 23rd of February under the guidance of Rene van der Heiden.  This was reported by the Press Service of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine.

    Thr key issue discussed was the technical-operational study of the implementation of the RASP project with regard to the security of the airspace in Ukraine.

    "The implementation of the RASP project will provide Ukraine with the possibility of cross- …