• Italy Delays Decision on EU Sanctions against Russia

    At a meeting of European Union ambassadors the Italian diplomats requested further discussion on anti-Russian sanctions.  The exact date for discussion has not been appointed.

    As Radio Poland reports, the Italian proposal was supported by several other countries and as a result the decision about the sanctions’ extension was postponed.  According to sources in diplomatic circles, the discussion may resume on December 10 or be postponed until the EU Summit, scheduled for December 17-18.  The …

  • Kremlin threatens Ukraine with court over $3 billion debt

    After the International Monetary Fund's change in intercountry money lending policies (in hopes of assisting Ukraine), Russia is left no choice but to begin a $3 billion retrieval process from Kiev. As reported by TASS, Anton Siluanov, Russia's Minister of Finance, has stated that the Russian Federation will exercise any means necessary to protect its rights as a creditor. 

    According to Siluanov, the IMF's decision in lifting the ban on lending to the countries with defaulting sovereign debt, …

  • Ukraine has implemented 97% of EU’s visa-free requirements

    Belgian newspaper EUobserver reported that Ukraine has implemented 97% of the EU’s requirements for the establishment of a visa-free regime. EUobserver listed key reforms introduced by Ukraine that helped move the country towards visa-free access to the EU, including the creation of  agencies and offices such as the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the National Agency on the Prevention of Corruption, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Similarly, the adoption of two laws regarding the …

  • Turkey Expels Russian Propagandists

    Russian News Agency TASS reported that according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Moscow has condemned the actions of Turkish authorities in expelling the film crew of TV channel “Russia 1.”

    On December 7th, ”special correspondents” of the TV channel "Russia-1" were detained near the border with Syria, Hatay province in Southeast Turkey, while travelling to the neighboring province of Gaziantep.

    The Ministry claims that the detention was carried out by unknown …

  • OSCE Notes Lack of Progress on the Political Settlement in Donbas

    According to Martin Sajdik, the special contact group on the Donbas issues will continue to discuss the opportunity to hold local elections in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics on December 9th.  Sajdik, the special representative of the OSCE Chairman discussed the matter while speaking about the last meeting results of the trilateral contact group on December 8th in Minsk.

    The Belarusian Private News Agency (BelaPAN) quoted Sajdik as saying that "despite significant efforts and …