The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved the admission of foreign armed forces into Ukraine in 2018 to participate in six multinational exercises.

235 MPs supported bill No 7428, whereas the minimum required number of support votes is 226.

According to plans, up to 3,000 military personnel of the United States and NATO member states with weapons, military equipment, and up to six warplanes and helicopters are expected to participate in the multinational exercises to prepare the armed forces …

The European Union formally criticized the Presidential Administration over the President’s submission of the draft bill on the Anti-corruption Court (ACC) contrary to Kyiv’s promises and the recommendations of the Venice Commission, according to a written statement by the EU press secretary published by Evropeiska Pravda.

Brussels recalled that their Ukrainian partners repeatedly made the commitment to establish the ACC.  

“The establishment of a truly independent and effective Anti- …

Russia does not intend to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a meeting of the UN Security Council on issues of the prohibition of nuclear weapons, the press service of the Russian ministry reported.

According to Lavrov, Russia "shares the task of building a nuclear-free world" but it is necessary to achieve this goal "without such unilateral methods" on which the treaty is based.

The minister explained that it would be …

The Crimean Zaliv factory, which was unable to purchase equipment from the Finnish company Wärtsilä on account of EU sanctions, has acquired generators produced by the German concern MAN.

This was reported by RBC with reference to a source familiar with materials relating to the Russian Ministry of Transport (the client for the ship being built at the Zaliv factory). The information was confirmed by a partner of several Russian ship construction companies.

The diesel generators are intended …

On Thursday, January 18, the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) approved in the second reading and overall the draft law "On the specifics of the state policy on securing the state sovereignty of Ukraine on the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions" submitted by President Poroshenko.

The law recognizes Russia as an aggressor state. At the same time, the deputies refused to support the proposal to denounce the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership …

The Council of the Federation of Russia prepared a preliminary version of a list of those implicated in Russia’s ouster from the 2018 Olympics, and sanctions are being prepared against them.

Included on the list, according to the media outlet RBK Group – citing two sources in the Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament – are the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Craig Reedie, U.S. Attorney General Robert Mueller, head of the WADA commission to investigate charges of doping at the …

Radio Liberty reports that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, following a meeting with Chairman of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ) and Verkhovna Rada MP Vasyl Brenzovich, stated that Hungary will not help facilitate a meeting between the defense ministers of NATO and Ukraine.

According to Szijjártó, Hungary's position remains unchanged; Budapest will not support the European aspirations of Kyiv while it "violates European and international law."

The …

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters that the Syrian Air Defense Forces have been restored, and are capable of shooting down any Turkish aircraft in the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic.

"We warn that Syria’s air force has completely resumed its former capability, and is ready to destroy Turkish air targets in the skies above the Syrian Arab Republic; this means that, in case of aggression against Syria, [it would be] no picnic," said Mekdad.

On Wednesday, Turkish …