Gas supply secured until March: Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a deal that will ensure Kyiv receives gas until the end of March. EU energy chief Maros Sefcovic said he was confident that the gas supply to EU markets also remains secure, with the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom having struck a […]
EU seeks to mediate in Greek row with Spain and Portugal: The European Commission wants to mediate after the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused the governments of Spain and Portugal of trying to derail his government because they feared a rise of the left. That claim is rejected by Mariano Rajoy, the centre-right Prime
Tens of thousands mourn Boris Nemtsov: On Sunday, tens of thousands people in Moscow paid their last respects to Boris Nemtsov, the adversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was gunned down on Friday night. There has been no official figure on turnout yet, with estimates ranging from 16,000 to 70,000. Politicians from all over
Ukrainian military starts withdrawal of heavy weapons: Ukraine’s army is starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in the east as part of a truce, according to the country’s defense ministry. The Russian newspaper „Nowaja Gaseta“ printed what it said was a strategy paper which was drafted in the weeks leading up
Amnesty International’s annual report: In the annual report 2014/2015 the organization describes the state of human rights in 160 countries and territories during 2014. Increasingly, state armed groups, militias, and terrorist organizations committed horrific crimes against civilians. The report states that 2014 was a catastrophic year for millions caught up in violence. The group is
Ministers vote for extension of aid package: The finance ministers of the Eurogroup approved a reform plan for the extension of the current aid program for Greece after an hour-long telephone conference. By Friday the national parliaments will have to agree. In a six-page document, Greece detailed its proposed reform plans to be implemented by
Athens delays reform plan until today: The Greek government will present its economic reform plans to the euro zone on Tuesday, a government official in Athens said. Greece is thus missing the Monday deadline for the list which is a condition for extending the country’s financial aid. The EU Finance Ministers said they would consider
Attack overshadows Maidan memorial: An explosion in the Ukrainian town Kharkiv killed at least three people and injured ten. Four suspects had been arrested. According to Ukraine’s security service they are Ukrainian citizens, who underwent instruction and received weapons in Russia. Meanwhile, thousands in Kiev marked the anniversary of the pro-Western Maidan protests and marched
Germany rejects Greece’s request: Despite a long-awaited Greek request for a six-month extension to its eurozone loan program, the impasse in the Greek debt crisis continues. Greece had sought a new six-month assistance package, rather than a renewal of the existing deal that comes with tough austerity conditions. Germany rejected the request, saying that the
Ukraine troops retreat from Debaltseve: The Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has confirmed that his forces are making an organized withdrawal from the embattled town of Debaltseve. 80 percent of Ukraine’s troops left after several days of fighting. The city sits on a strategic railway line linking the rebel-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. The pro-Russian
