About: Crimea annexation Archives

US President Donald Trump told President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Monday (1 June) about his idea of holding an expanded Group of Seven summit later this year with a possible invitation for Russia, the Kremlin and the White House said.

The EU should reconsider its 'all or nothing' approach on sanctions imposed on Russia for its role in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, as well as its annexation of Crimea, a new report from the International Crisis Group suggests.

President Vladimir Putin, citing the deepening coronavirus crisis, said on Thursday (16 April) Russia would postpone its 9 May celebrations including a huge military parade across Red Square to mark 75 years since the Soviet victory in World War Two.

There has been an increased number of calls for rolling back the EU sanctions against Russia in order to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, but this idea is dangerous, argues Inna Sovsun.

Increasingly grandiose Russian military exercises in the Black Sea, compounded by the impending water crisis and a burgeoning defence industry in the Crimea, indicate that the security situation in Southern Ukraine may soon deteriorate, Ukrainian experts from Crimea warn.

Europe’s strength lies in its unity and solidarity, but strength does not mean making concessions to an aggressor in a hope that it will become your friend: strength is to make the aggressor hange his behaviour, writes Mykola Tochytskyi. Mykola Tochytskyi …

German prosecutors said Thursday (13 February) they had arrested a businessman on suspicion of exporting millions of euros in machinery to Russia that could be used for military purposes, in violation of EU sanctions.

Just like the United States has done, the EU must sanction Russians who have become rich by breaking the law or using force in their country, writes Anna Talimonchuk.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko maintained his hold on power after results published early on Monday (18 November) showed not a single opposition candidate had won a seat in parliamentary elections over the weekend.

Russia will return three captured naval ships to Ukraine on Monday and is moving them to a handover location agreed with Kyiv, Crimea's border guard service was cited as saying by Russian news agencies on Sunday (17 November).

Belarus's leader Alexander Lukashenko defended his isolated country's human rights during a visit to Austria Tuesday (12 November), as he seeks closer ties with the European Union amid tensions with Russia.

French and German attempts to end the conflict in east Ukraine risk increasing tensions that were already rising in the European Union over how to handle Russia and which could complicate peace efforts.

Russia said on Thursday (26 September) that Belarus’s refusal to host a military air base backed by President Vladimir Putin had been an “unpleasant episode”, a rare public display of disagreement between the close allies.

Russia’s ruling United Russia party, which supports President Vladimir Putin, has lost one third of its seats in the Moscow city assembly, final polling data cited by Russian news agencies showed on Monday (9 September), in an awkward setback for the Kremlin.

Germany's president asked for forgiveness for his country on Sunday (1 September) for the suffering of the Polish people during World War Two as Poland marked 80 years since the Nazi German invasion that unleashed the deadliest conflict in human history.

US Vice President Mike Pence reassured Ukraine on Sunday (1 September) that Washington continues to back its claim for Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, even as US President Donald Trump mulls cutting aid to the European nation.

Ukraine's new parliament will meet for the first time on Thursday (29 August), dominated by the party of ex-comedian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy who has an unprecedented chance to fulfil his political ambition of "breaking the system".

Ukraine's president backed leading European powers on Thursday (22 August) in opposing the readmission of Russia to the Group of Seven advanced economies, saying Moscow still occupied Crimea and was frustrating peace in eastern Ukraine.

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid was in Paris for the French military parade on Bastille day (14 July). She participated in a working lunch organised at the Elysée on European defence issues. As a champion in cyber defence and digital services, Estonia is an important ally for France. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (4 July) he hoped Italy would battle to restore fully fledged relations between the European Union and Russia and help persuade the bloc's new leadership that sanctions on Moscow were counter-productive.

Despite its continued meddling in European affairs, Russia has been reinstated in the Council of Europe, with full voting powers. The decision will only encourage Moscow to continue its erratic behaviour on the European continent while others, like Turkey, may follow its example, writes Mark Temnycky.

In a wide-ranging interview, the Ukrainian ambassador to the EU Mykola Tochytskyi discussed the wide range of topics ahead of the EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv on 8 July, and beyond.

Latvia said Thursday (27 June) that lawmakers will vote next month on whether to suspend its participation in the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly after the rights body agreed to reinstate Russia.

Who are those ready to forgive Russia thousands of killed Ukrainians and millions of internally displaced persons, and pardon Moscow for the occupation of 7% of Ukraine’s territory, Mykola Tochytskyi asks in this exclusive opinion piece.