NATO Seeks To Reopen Dialogue with Russia
In the coming weeks, NATO hopes to resume dialogue with Russia, which was frozen because of the conflict in eastern Ukraine since July 2014. Diplomats in Brussels stated on January 20th that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expects negotiations at the ambassadorial level within the NATO-Russia Council to take place sometime between the end of February and the beginning of March, if Moscow is amenable.
One of the diplomats said that NATO wished to put a discussion on the conflict in …
Russian Duma Speaker Calls on EU to Impose Sanctions against Ukraine
The Speaker of the Russian State Duma, Sergey Naryshkin, invited the leading European countries to punish Kiev for their failure to comply with the Minsk Agreements, as reported by the Russian media on Tuesday, January 19th.
At the opening of the spring session of the State Duma, Naryshkin stated that "the position of France and Germany, presiding over the OSCE this year, will become completely constructive and objective. The advocates of extending anti-Russian sanctions will realize that …
Amnesty International Urges Ukraine to Ratify Rome Statute
Amnesty International is urging the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, "to show the political will and make all necessary preparations for Ukraine to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as soon as possible," as stated in an open letter to the President of Ukraine.
"Please note that only after the ratification of the Rome Statute will Ukraine receive all the benefits from participation in the ICC: participation in the election of judges and prosecutors, …
Ukraine Announces Plan to Construct Rail Line to Gulf States
Ukraine started negotiations with several Gulf countries to launch a new freight traffic route as announced by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Vladimir Yemelyan, reports Specter Novosti.
"We are now in the middle of negotiations with the Gulf countries concerning the coordination of railway communication to this area. In particular, on January 12th, the leaders of the railway companies were studying this route and at first glance believe it has great promise. I think it will be another …
New Monument Could Remove the Kremlin from UNESCO List
The Commission of UNESCO experts may consider removing the Kremlin from the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Der Tagesspiegel reported on January 19th that such a decision was prompted by the plans of Russian authorities to construct a 24-meter monument to Grand Duke Vladimirat on Borovitskaya Square near Kremlin. The Grand Duke was a historical figure who chose Orthodox Christianity as the state religion of Kievan Rus.
According to UNESCO experts, the monument, rising high above the …