Kremlin lashes out at Ukraine and NATO after call with Macron

Kremlin lashes out at Ukraine and NATO after call with Macron

Press play to listen to this article MUNICH — The Kremlin on Sunday used a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron to broadcast an array of provocative, unproven allegations of belligerence by Ukraine and NATO countries, insisting the West was “pushing Kyiv towards a military solution to the so-called … Read more

West must brace for years of Putin pressure on Ukraine, Latvian PM says

West must brace for years of Putin pressure on Ukraine, Latvian PM says

Press play to listen to this article Whether or not Moscow launches an attack on Ukraine in the coming days, the West must gear up for years of heightened Russian pressure on the country and on Europe as a whole, Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš said Friday. In an interview with POLITICO, Kariņš said Russian … Read more

On stage at the Kremlin: Putin and Lavrov’s de-escalation dance

On stage at the Kremlin: Putin and Lavrov’s de-escalation dance

Press play to listen to this article Russian President Vladimir Putin and his trusty foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, signaled on Monday that there would be no imminent military strike on Ukraine and that they were prepared to continue diplomatic dialogue with the West, led by the United States. Coming after the US warned that a … Read more

In Ukraine, even peace accords can be a Russian weapon

In Ukraine, even peace accords can be a Russian weapon

Press play to listen to this article In their frenzied diplomatic effort to dissuade Russia from a new invasion of Ukraine, Western leaders are pinning renewed hope on the long-stuck Minsk peace accords. The Minsk agreements, first negotiated in 2014 and 2015, were intended to bring an end to the war with Russian-backed separatists, then … Read more

EU offers more talks, pushes de-escalation in letter to Russia

EU offers more talks, pushes de-escalation in letter to Russia

The EU is ready to continue formal talks about Russia’s massive troop build-up along the Ukrainian border, the bloc said in a letter for Moscow, calling once again on the Kremlin to pull back its military. The letter, a draft of which was seen by POLITICO, represents the EU’s collective response to a recent memo … Read more

Macron and Kremlin spar over outcome of meeting on Ukraine

Macron and Kremlin spar over outcome of meeting on Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and the Kremlin delivered contradictory statements Tuesday on the outcome of a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. The two leaders met for more than five hours in Moscow on Monday to discuss the Ukraine crisis, triggered by Putin massing more than 100,000 troops near the country’s borders. … Read more

Poland braces for ‘up to a million people’ fleeing war in Ukraine

Poland braces for ‘up to a million people’ fleeing war in Ukraine

Press play to listen to this article WARSAW — Poland is preparing for a massive influx of refugees if Russia attacks Ukraine. “We have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario and [we have] been taking steps so as to be prepared for a wave of up to a million people,” Deputy Interior Minister Maciej … Read more

As Russian troops mass in Belarus, nerves start to fray at Ukraine border

As Russian troops mass in Belarus, nerves start to fray at Ukraine border

At the Senkivka border crossing in northern Ukraine, nothing is out of the ordinary. Trucks pass through, carefully negotiating the icy conditions at the intersection with both Belarus and Russia. But across the border in Belarus, thousands of Russian troops have been deployed for military exercises that the Kremlin has said will be a rehearsal … Read more

Russian bombers fly over Belarus amid Ukraine tensions

Russian bombers fly over Belarus amid Ukraine tensions

The West has called on Russia to pull back an estimated 100,000 troops from areas near Ukraine, but the Kremlin has responded by saying it will station troops wherever it needs to on Russian territory. As the tensions over Ukraine soared, the Russian military has launched a series of war games spreading from the Arctic … Read more

U.S., Russia clash over Ukraine at UN Security Council debate

U.S., Russia clash over Ukraine at UN Security Council debate

In a public showdown Monday before the United Nations Security Council, the US accused Russia of undermining international peace and security by massing troops on Ukraine’s border. But Russia hit back, arguing that Washington is stoking fear and fueling unnecessary debate – allegations China later reiterated. The heated, sometimes angry, rhetoric at the UN headquarters … Read more