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Mike Peacock, Reuters European Politics & Economics Editor, gives us his latest take on the situation in Ukraine (views expressed are his own):
"A reported 0300 GMT deadline, which Russian forces denied had been issued, for Ukraine’s forces to disarm in Crimea or face the consequences has passed without incident and in the last hour President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops that took part in military exercises in western Russia this week to return to base.
The West may have no military card to play – and its ability to impose meaningful sanctions is untested as yet – but the markets reminded Putin in no uncertain terms yesterday that there is a price to pay for war mongering. The rouble plunged, Russian stocks dropped 11 percent and the central bank raised interest rates by a full point and a half and then blew $12 billion of its reserves trying to prop up the currency, hardly an ideal policy response for an economy that is already struggling. If in the longer term foreign investment dries up things could get quite nasty.
NATO allies will today hold emergency talks on the crisis, for the second time in three days, following a request from Poland which has taken a more robust stance against Russia than some of its European peers. Kiev's U.N. ambassador, Yuriy Sergeyev, said Russia had deployed roughly 16,000 troops to Crimea since last week.
Washington is talking up sanctions from visa bans and asset freezes to trade isolation and has now suspended all military engagements with Russia. But the European Union, with its close energy and economic ties to Russia, is more reticent, none more so than Germany. EU foreign ministers held out the threat of sanctions on Monday but went no further than that. EU leaders will meet on Thursday to discuss next steps. The G7 members may boycott Russia’s G8 summit in Sochi in June.
Britain’s David Cameron and Barack Obama reiterated in a call that there would be “significant costs” for Moscow unless it changed course. But a UK official walking into Cameron’s office was snapped by photographers with a document. It showed the UK would not support trade sanctions for now, nor close London’s financial centre - the City - to rich Russians. Whether it was a discussion paper or a definitive outline of policy is not clear but either way it will hardly have Putin and his backers quaking in their boots. Cameron’s office was forced to deny it was putting the City’s interests before Ukraine’s plight.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, said it was trying to convene an international contact group to help defuse the crisis after Germany said Chancellor Angela Merkel had persuaded Putin to accept such an initiative.
The new Ukrainian government may be completely outgunned by its neighbour but it also has some cards to play. An IMF mission arrives in Kiev today – the first step towards working out an aid programme – and Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk has spelled out budget spending cuts and pledged to deliver whatever reforms the Fund wants. Previous governments in Kiev baulked at an increase in gas prices for domestic consumers and a flexible exchange rate for the hryvnia currency. So it is possible that serious funds could soon be flowing into Ukraine." -
Russian stocks, ruble see cautious rebound after Ukraine panic
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian stock indexes rose on Tuesday morning, partially reversing double-digit losses on Monday when the market crashed over fears about the international crisis over Ukraine.
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U.S. lawmakers ready to act over Ukraine, but want Europe to step up
By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers expressed support on Monday for aid for Ukraine's new government, as well as sanctions to punish Russia for its military incursion into the neighboring country, but want European nations to step up their involvement in the crisis.
Senators are looking at options such as imposing sanctions on Russia's banks and freezing assets of Russian public institutions and private investors, Senator Chris Murphy, chairman of the Senate's Europe subcommittee, told Reuters.
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Russia's Putin orders troops in military exercise back to base
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops that took part in military exercises in central and western Russia to return to base after completing their training, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin spokesman as saying on Tuesday.
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Military personnel, believed to be Russian servicemen, march outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol, March 4, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) shakes hands with Palestinian lead negotiator Saeb Erekat (L) as he departs Joint Base Andrews in Washington enroute to Ukraine March 3, 2014. With them is State Department Mideast advisor Martin Indyk. In remarks today, U.S. President Barack Obama said Kerry will propose ways in which a negotiation between Russia and Ukraine could be overseen by a multilateral organization when he goes to Kiev on Tuesday. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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Military personnel, believed to be Russian servicemen, stand in front of the gates of a Ukrainian military unit as Ukrainian servicemen behind them look on in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol, March 4, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
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not the best time to be meeting with Dalai Lama unfortunately ..
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Hard for me to accept treaties mean nothing, lack of support by the EU for sanctions, and the fact that the world is watching while a madman runs wild without constraints.
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Good article by Michael O'Hanlon, Senior Fellow at Brookings Institute, on "Power O'Sanctions"! Also keen comment of retired Prof Nickos Petsos; thanks to you both. Give the situation a chance to 'settle down'; or we may all regret 'haste_less_ speed'. The way forward is to allow OSCE Monitors in, with Nato help, as Ukraine and Russia both have Ambasadors there. The Ukraine UN Envoy asked for our prayers (speaking in Russian!) - well, whyever not? When all else fails... Cheerio!
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This page increasingly turning into just another propaganda page. So sad. One-sided, anti-Russian biased blog. You must be blocking 90% posts
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Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C), Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and head of the Russian army's main department of combat preparation Ivan Buvaltsev watch military exercises at the Kirillovsky firing ground in the Leningrad region, March 3, 2014. Putin on Monday watched Russian tanks and armoured vehicles trundle across the training ground in the north-west of the country, as Moscow flexed its muscle in a geo-political face-off with the West over Ukraine. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
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Let me repeat what concerned me a week ago about a situation that appears to be getting worse by the minute.Very scary.
This rapidly deteriorating Ukraine situation has the makings of one of those international none-of-your-business events that happen from time to time which somehow almost accidentally result in big wars between powerful opposing sides, this time the America/Europe alliance versus Russia -- increasingly trigger-happy nuclear powers with lots and lots of nuclear-armed missiles, submarines and fighter bombers: Not much different to the two world wars fought last century because of political and military miscalculations and misunderstandings by everybody involved.
Unfortunately, history shows it's human nature to do such stupid things. -
Commentary: The power of sanctions against Putin on Ukraine
By Michael O'Hanlon
March 3 (Reuters) - In a crisis moving extremely fast, it is dangerous to say this, but I'm at least somewhat less concerned about this upheaval in Ukraine than other people seem to be, for a couple of reasons.
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U.S., EU move to retaliate against Russia
POLITICOU.S. and European leaders are preparing to increase economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he fails to bring a quick end to his military’s incursion into Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. President Barack Obama said in the Oval Office on Monday that the United States is readying a series of economic and diplomatic steps that... -
Pro-Russian protesters storm and occupy the regional government building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, Yanukovich's hometown. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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President Barack Obama urges Congress to provide a package of assistance to Ukrainian people, saying Russia's on the ''wrong side of history'' in Ukraine. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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The European Union and other Western powers scramble to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, where Russia has wrested control from Kiev.
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Activists burn a picture of late Ukrainian nationalist movement leader Stepan Bandera, during a rally to support the possible military incursions of the Russian army onto the territory of Crimea to defend Russian citizens and speakers living in Ukraine, near the consulate of Ukraine in St. Petersburg, March 3, 2014. Bandera, who was born at the beginning of the 20th century, was leader of the Ukrainian nationalist movement founded in western Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev
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Poland requests more NATO consultations over Russia
ReutersBRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO allies will hold emergency talks on the crisis in Ukraine on Tuesday, for the second time in three days, following a request from Poland, the alliance said on Monday.In calling -
Reuters: Armed men seize Ukrainian border checkpoint at terminal of ferry between Russia and Crimea; three truckloads of armed men cross by ferry to Ukrainian side - Ukraine border guards
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You are correct. You are missing a lot of information. The ethnic and socio-political divisions in Ukraine are far more complex than being Pro-Ukraine. The definition of what it means to be "Pro-Ukraine" is what is at stake. Some see a better course with the Russian bailout while others want EU admission. That is not an easy issue to resolve. So yes, you probably need to read more and do more research.
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Russia's state gas producer Gazprom has warned Ukraine that it may increase the gas price for Kiev after the first quarter. It insists Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine is normal but for how long? Joanna Partridge looks at the impact of the Ukraine crisis on energy and other key commodities.
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EU tells Russia to withdraw troops or face possible sanctions
ReutersBRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers held out the threat of sanctions against Russia on Monday if Moscow fails to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, while offering to mediate between the -
A woman looks through a damaged entrance door as pro-Russian demonstrators hold a rally outside the regional government building in Donetsk. REUTERS/Stringer
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What is most important now is that the United States act in concert with our allies in Europe. Unilateral U.S.sanctions against Russia are not going to have much an effect if Europe remains a haven for Russian banks and Russian oligarchs to stash and invest their money.
-U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, Chairman of the Senate Europe subcommittee -
Pro-Russia protesters occupy regional government in Ukraine's Donetsk
By Lina Kushch
DONETSK, Ukraine - Pro-Russian demonstrators occupied the regional government building in east Ukraine's city of Donetsk on Monday, besieging lawmakers as they voted to support the protesters but stopped short of meeting their demands for a split from Kiev.
The chaotic scene in the heart of Ukraine's Russian-speaking east was one of the boldest actions yet by pro-Russian youths after several days of rallies in eastern and southern cities that Kiev says are organized by Moscow as a pretext to invade. Full Article -
More talk from EU diplomats about "targeted measures" that may be considered if Moscow does not agree to pull back forces in Ukraine.
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by mike_giglio via twitter 3/3/2014 3:02:06 PM
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Russia has disappeared from the group of predictable, democratic countries.
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A 35-Step Guide To Understanding Why Russia Decided To Follow The Olympics With A War buzzfeed.com/miriamberger/a… via reports by @BuzzFeedWorldby Miriam A Berger via twitter 3/3/2014 2:42:02 PM
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by Jack Stubbs via twitter 3/3/2014 1:59:04 PM
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Crimea's new tourist attraction: Russian invaders #Ukraine #crimea #kremlin #russia #kyivpost #kyiv #euromaidan kyivpost.com/guide/people/c…by kyivpost via twitter 3/3/2014 1:56:04 PM
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Sounds like emergency EU summit on Ukraine on the cards...by Laura Kuenssberg via twitter 3/3/2014 1:46:08 PM
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A woman kisses a Ukrainian serviceman through the fence as he stands on the territory of a military unit located in the village of Lyubimovka near a local airfield, some 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Simferopol, Crimea's capital March 3, 2014. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko
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William Varettoni: A primer on Crimea's road to ruin kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/…by Ukrainian Eyes via twitter 3/3/2014 1:35:37 PM
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Russian fighter jets violated Ukraine's air space - ministry
KIEV (Reuters) - Russian fighter jets twice violated Ukraine's air space over the Black Sea during the night, Interfax news agency quoted the Defence Ministry as saying on Monday.
It said Ukraine's air force had scrambled a Sukhoi SU-27 interceptor aircraft and prevented any "provocative actions" but gave no further details.
(Reporting By Timothy Heritage) -
UN chief will urge Russia to de-escalate Ukraine crisis
GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said on Monday that he would ask Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Russia refrain from any acts or rhetoric that would further escalate the crisis in Ukraine and instead seek dialogue with authorities in Kiev.
Ban said that his deputy Jan Eliasson, who had just arrived in Kiev, would "convey the same message to Ukrainian authorities".
"It is now of utmost importance to restore calm and to de-escalate tensions immediately through dialogue," Ban told a news conference in Geneva shortly before holding talks with Lavrov. "I will urge that the Russian Federation refrain from any acts and rhetoric that could further escalate the situation and instead to engage constructively and through peaceful means with Ukraine."
(Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay) -
UniCredit's Ukraine unit says temporarily limits cash withdrawals
MILAN (Reuters) - The Ukrainian unit of Italy's biggest bank by assets, UniCredit, said on Monday it had temporarily limited operations on cash withdrawals from ATMs after a request by the local central bank due to escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
In a statement on the bank's website, UniCredit Bank - the Ukrainian subsidiary of UniCredit - said the sum of cash for withdrawal for each card had been limited to UAH 1,500 hryvnia per day.
Cash withdrawals at UniCredit's Bank using cards issued by other banks were limited at 500 hryvnia per day.
"We are stressing that these measures are taken exclusively to provide all the bank's clients with ATM service," the statement said, adding the limits would be lifted as soon as the situation returned to normal.
A spokesman for UniCredit in Milan said the move followed a request by the Ukrainian central bank last week.
"All banks have spontaneously complied with the request," the spokesman said.
(Reporting by Paola Arosio) -
Military personnel, believed to be Russian servicemen, walk outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol March 3, 2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
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Military personnel, believed to be Russian servicemen, walk outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol March 3, 2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
Putin says Russia will follow up fast after Ukraine call with Biden
MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would send ideas to Washington within a week to follow up his talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on the Ukraine crisis.