The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Paris today to consolidate a fragile peace in Ukraine, as the conflict is overshadowed by President Vladimir Putin's dramatic intervention in Syria's war. 

The summit’s main objective is to overcome existing obstacles to the Minsk ceasefire deal and to discuss additional measures to ensure adherence to it.Fighting has all but stopped in eastern Ukraine and with peace closer than ever leaders are seeking a lasting political …

In his statement on Tuesday, Ivan Simonovic, the assistant U.N. secretary-general for human rights noted that efforts by Russia-backed separatist rebels to block "desperately needed" humanitarian aid from reaching people in conflict-ridden eastern Ukraine could amount to crimes against humanity. Mr. Simonovic criticized as a "great mistake" the move by rebels who control the eastern city of Luhansk to kick out U.N. and humanitarian aid agencies.

"I do think that currently the military warfare …

 President Obama has authorized the U.S. State Department to provide up to $20 million to Ukraine to fund military training and other similar activities.This came one day after Ukraine announced that US instructors would start training the country’s special forces.

“The authority... to direct the drawdown of up to $20 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense and military education and training to provide assistance for the Government of Ukraine,” the Presidential …