Weapons captured in Palmyra by militants of the so-called Islamic State pose a threat to the military coalition led by the United States. This, as reported by the BBC, was said by the US Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander of the forces of the international coalition against the so-called Islamic State.

According to Townsend, the militants, when capturing Palmyra, allegedly seized armored vehicles and air defense systems.

He added that there is information that indicates these …

The Commanding General the United States Army in Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, announced that 4,000 U.S. soldiers will be relocated to Poland as part of the NATO Atlantic Resolve mission in January 2017. During his visit to the Bundeswehr Academy in Osterholz-Scharmbeck (Lower Saxony), General Hodges said that the port of Bremerhaven in northern Germany is going to serve as a crossing base.

At the NATO summit in Warsaw in July 2016, it was decided to place four of the Alliance’s …

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the Russian Federation wants to restart its relations with the United States, including dialogues on sensitive issues.

“As for Donald Trump, we hope that we will have the opportunity to hold a dialogue with him. The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin repeatedly stated that we would like to have a dialogue with the United States, restart relations with this country in different areas including sensitive issues,” …

Since 2014 Ukraine has received $1.85 billion in assistance from Japan, and these funds were allocated both for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other areas not associated with defense and security sectors, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

"Despite the fact that our countries are far from each other, relations between Ukraine and Japan is an example of building effective relations. We look forward to the further development and deepening of Ukrainian-Japanese …

The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, had a telephone conversation during which both leaders discussed the supply of Russian gas to European consumers via Ukraine, as well as the Ukrainian crisis, the Kremlin’s website reported.According to the report, Putin stated that he is concerned that Ukraine has been evading the coordination of agreements on purchases of gas from Russia during this winter season. The Russian President …

The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Groysman, stated that student scholarships will be increased by 2.5 times, as reported on the government’s website. As a result “A” students, and those in skill shortage areas, will get increased scholarships.

"Our proposal is that academic scholarships to be fairly distributed with the involvement of student government. Under this proposal, those who received 800 UAH (30 USD), will receive no less than 1,100 (42 USD), and “A” students will get 1,600 …

The former United States Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, criticized the decision of the President-elect of the United States to nominate the Chief Executive Officer of the Exxon Mobile Corporation, Rex Tillerson, to the post of United States Secretary of State. McFaul expressed his concerns in Twitter.“Rex Tillerson did a fantastic job for shareholders of Exxon Mobile Corporation. I am not sure that the same skills will contribute to the work of U.S. Secretary of State,” McFaul wrote. He …

Before her meeting with French President François Holland in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the EU's economic sanctions against Russia should be extended, Reuters reports.

According to her, the sanctions should be extended due to a lack of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

"Although we would have wished for a better progress in the implementation of the agreement, the lack of it is what causes the need to extend sanctions against Russia," Merkel said. …