TRANSCRIPT: Press Conference with President Obama and Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands [excerpts re Russia]

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(The White House – Office of the Press Secretary – For Immediate Release – March 25, 2014) Gemeentemuseum Den Haag The Hague, The Netherlands Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  You’ve been criticized during this dispute with Russia as not understanding President Putin’s motivations.  As recently as last month, you and others in your administration said you thought Putin was reflecting […]

» Read more

Interfax: Despite sanctions, Russia continuing to share intelligence on drug trafficking with U.S. – official

Russian Drug Den File Photo

MOSCOW. March 26 (Interfax) – Despite the U.S. sanctions against Russia, the two countries are continuing to share intelligence concerning drug trafficking, says Russian Federal Drug Control Service chief Viktor Ivanov. “Exchange of information is under way,” Ivanov said in an interview with Interfax. Ivanov is among the Russians against whom the U.S. recently imposed sanctions because of the situation […]

» Read more

The Hague Declaration

File Photo of G7 Leaders and other Officials Around Round Table at the Hague, with Flags

(The White House – Office of the Press Secretary – For Immediate Release – March 24, 2014) 1. We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission met in The Hague to reaffirm our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and […]

» Read more

Putin Tasks Trusted Lieutenant With Economic Development Of Crimea

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – March 24, 2014) Russian President Vladimir Putin named Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, his long-time trusted lieutenant and trouble-shooter, on March 21 to oversee the economic development of the Re public of Crimea. Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were formally incorporated into the Russian Federation as individual federation subjects on March 17. Putin then designated […]

» Read more

Russian official admits Crimean economy depends on links with Ukraine

Maidan Square file photo

(Interfax – Moscow, March 24, 2014) The potential of the Crimean economy will depend to a large extent on the development of its economic ties with Ukraine, Russian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Andrey Klepach told a briefing in Moscow on Monday. Asked what contribution the Crimean economy would make to the Russian economy, the deputy minister said that “it […]

» Read more

Why Putin Should Thank Obama

File Photo of Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama Seated Before Russian and U.S. Flags

(jackmatlock.com – Jack Matlock – March 23, 2014) Jack Matlock is a career diplomat who served on the front lines of American diplomacy during the Cold War and was U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union when the Cold War ended. Igor Oleynik, CEO of International Business Publications in Washington, DC, has sent me a spoof letter from Putin to Obama. […]

» Read more

Russian Cabinet Outlines Costs of Crimea

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anatoly Medetsky – March 25, 2014) The costly consequences of expanding Russia’s territory became clearer Monday when Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev revealed a Crimea to-do list for the government and its corporations. Russia will need to take care of entitlements and services ranging from retirement pensions to tax rebates to electricity supply in a peninsula […]

» Read more

RUSSIA & UKRAINE: Johnson’s Russia List contents with links :: 2014-#65 :: Monday, 24 March 2014

St. Basil's file photo

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#65 :: 24 March 2014 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support […]

» Read more

Russians Must Oust Putin Rather than Suffer for His Imperial Ambitions, Felshtinsky Says

Vladimir Putin file photo

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, March 24, 2014) Russians must recognize that Vladimir Putin is “an aggressor and instigator of war,” that he is making them into “victims and participants in state crimes,” that he will eventually lose to the democratic world, and that he, they and their country will suffer and be held accountable just as […]

» Read more

Ukraine-EU Pact Signals Step Towards NATO – Russian Ministry Source

EU Map

MOSCOW, March 24 (RIA Novosti) – The signing of a political pact between Ukraine and the European Union is a hasty step which points to the prospect of closer military ties between Kiev and NATO, a Russian foreign ministry source said Monday. “The political provisions of the association deal pave the way for further entrenchment of Ukraine into the foreign […]

» Read more

Moscow restaurants impose “entry ban” on Obama

File Photo of Barack Obama Sitting at Desk with Mike McFaul Standing Next to Him Facing Him

MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) – Moscow restaurants are introducing sanctions against U.S. President Barack Obama. Notices saying an “entry ban” has been imposed on Obama have been put up at the entrances to Dolma restaurants in central Moscow, an Interfax correspondent reported. The manager of a Dolma restaurant, Lasha Churgulia, said that, “the ban only applies to Obama for now.” […]

» Read more

TRANSCRIPT: Putin and Lavrov at Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Kremlin.ru – March 21, 2014) Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council, during which a detailed discussion on the situation in Ukraine took place. Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, […]

» Read more

Will the Ukrainian conflict turn hot?

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(rbth.ru – March 24, 2014 – Nikolai Gorshkov, special to RBTH) Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has warned Russia than any attempt to annex areas of Eastern Ukraine will meet a very tough response, including a military one. EU in Brussels also spoke of measures beyond the already agreed, should Russia move into Ukrainian mainland. But does Russia have […]

» Read more

Russia says close to agreement on OSCE monitors for Ukraine

File Photo of OSCE Banners

Reuters reports on statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe is close to reaching an arrangement to send observers to Ukraine: ‘We have already practically agreed a draft decision’ on an observer mission, Lavrov told President Vladimir Putin in televised remarks, adding that observers would be sent to western and central […]

» Read more

Former Ambassador McFaul: Putin May Be Just Getting Started

Ambassador Mike McFaul file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – By Albert R. Hunt – March 19, 2014) Albert R. Hunt is a Bloomberg View columnist. Michael McFaul, who recently stepped down as U.S. ambassador to Russia, says President Vladimir Putin is riding “an ugly nationalistic fervor that’s off the charts,” and is likely to escalate tensions with the U.S. and Europe over Ukraine. McFaul, who […]

» Read more

Hagel Gets Assurances About Russian Troops on Ukraine Border

Sergei Shoigu file photo

(Defense.gov – American Forces Press Service – Jim Garamone – WASHINGTON – March 20, 2014) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu assured Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that Russian troops along the Russia-Ukraine border are there solely for exercise purposes and will not cross over into Ukrainian territory, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said today. At a Pentagon news […]

» Read more

Putin’s Crimea Move Cripples Opposition

Kremlin and Saint Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – March 21, 2014) During his triumphant speech on Crimea’s annexation earlier this week, President Vladimir Putin stressed that his policy was supported by an “absolute majority of Russians,” saying those who opposed it were “national traitors” acting on behalf of Western countries. While such a bold statement was embraced by some as […]

» Read more

Kasparov: It’s time to stop Putin

Garry Kasparov file photo

In a Washington Post op-ed, Garry Kasparov argues that Putin’s motives in seizing Crimea are shaped more by greed than Russia’s national interests, and that assessments of possible future Kremlin actions should be based on pragmatic assessments of what Putin actually does: When Vladi­mir Putin formally annexed Crimea this week, he acted in defiance of the predictions of many pundits, […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Putin Signs Final Crimea Reunification Decree

File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Friday on the ratification of the treaty providing for the reunification of the Crimean Peninsula with Russia. The treaty had been already ratified by both houses of the Russian parliament. Under the decree, the Russian Federation will have 85 regions, up from the previous 83. The Republic […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Federal State Is Only Solution for Ukraine says Sergei Lavrov

Sergei Lavrov file photo

MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti) – Making Ukraine a federal state is the only way to stabilize situation in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday. “We want to understand, who exactly will represent legitimate authorities in Kiev. In this regard we have a proposal: first of all, a constitutional reform should be held, so that interests […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Ukrainian Forces Leave Navy Headquarters in Orderly Droves

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) – Representatives of the self-defense forces of Crimea have occupied Ukraine’s navy headquarters in the Crimean city Sevastopol, organizing the orderly departure of the Ukrainian military forces inside. Crimea’s self-defense forces broke through barricades surrounding the facility Wednesday morning, raising the Russian federal and navy flags in place of their Ukrainian equivalents. Some small altercations […]

» Read more

Merkel Warns on Rush to Russia Sanctions, Reflecting EU Split

EU Map

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – James G. Neuger, Ian Wishart and Jonathan Stearns – March 20, 2014) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the European Union won’t rush to impose economic sanctions on Russia for the annexation of Crimea, reflecting concerns that trade curbs would damage Europe’s tentative recovery. Germany, which is Russia’s biggest EU trading partner, expects the 28-country bloc to […]

» Read more

re: Crimea

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

Subject: Crimea Date:     Thu, 20 Mar 2014 From:     Sergei Roy <sergeiroy@yandex.ru> The other day I received a letter from a German friend concerning Ukraine. I could not leave a letter from an old friend unanswered, though I do very little writing these days. My reply expresses rather clearly, though not fully, my take on what goes on there. Best wishes, […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Official Andrey Nikitin says annexation of Crimea will benefit Russian economy, in the long run

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(RIA Novosti – March 19, 2014) Gorki, 19 March: Crimea’s becoming part of the Russian Federation may temporarily damage Russia’s investment image, but in the long run Russia will only benefit [from it], the director-general of the Strategic Initiatives Agency (ASI), Andrey Nikitin, has said. “I think that those who fell for these scare stories and will leave Russia or […]

» Read more

Navalny Proposes Sanctions List to the West

Alexei Navalny file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Christopher Brennan – March 20, 2014) Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, currently under house arrest in connection with a criminal case against him, has written an op-ed for the New York Times in which he calls for sanctions on officials and businessmen connected to President Vladimir Putin. Saying that previous U.S. and EU sanctions in response […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: US Advises Funds to Warn Investors About Russian Risk – Report

File Photo of Outdoor Electronic Sign with Russian Exchange Data

MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti) – US financial officials have contacted investment funds with Russian assets and advised them to inform clients about potential risk associated with the crisis in Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reported Thursday. The commission began counseling investment companies weeks ago, advising them to clearly communicate risks with investors and warning them to have a clear […]

» Read more

Interfax: Moscow’s response to “mirror” U.S. sanctions, asymmetric measures being considered – Russian diplomat Sergei Ryabkov

Sergei Ryabkov file photo

MOSCOW/VIENNA. March 20 (Interfax) – Moscow may draft its own “blacklist” of American officials as part of a response that will “mirror” the sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. “If Washington restarts measures to escalate tensions and confrontation, as well as attempts to tell us what we should do using the […]

» Read more

Interfax: Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin denies claims of Ukrainian military facility raid in Simferopol

UN Building file photo

(Interfax – March 20, 2014) Moscow’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has said that Russian servicemen did not raid a Ukrainian military unit’s base in Simferopol. “There was absolutely no storming of a Ukrainian military facility by Russian servicemen about which the permanent representative of Ukraine spoke today,” Churkin said at the UN Security Council. “Having the support of the entire […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti reports that State Duma Ratifies Crimea “Reunification Treaty”

Russian State Duma Building file photo

MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti) – The State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, ratified the historic Crimea reunification treaty on Thursday. A total of 445 State Duma deputies supported the ratificiation and only one voted against. President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty with Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov and other Crimean leaders on Tuesday following a referendum in which […]

» Read more

The newfound uncertainty of life in Russia

Kremlin and Saint Basil's

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Lara McCoy Roslof, RBTH – March 18, 2014) The ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the exchange of increasingly politicized rhetoric has brought with it a growing sense of unease and concern about the future. RBTH’s editor for the Western Hemisphere talks about how the atmosphere in Russia has changed from an American perspective. […]

» Read more

Wide range of Russians protest Crimea vote

Ukraine Map and Flag

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Sam Skove, special to RBTH – March 16, 2014) The meeting in central Moscow brought together a diverse group of people with a variety of views on the situation in Crimea and the state of the Russian press. Saturday’s protest in central Moscow against the war in Ukraine, started at Pushkinskaya square and […]

» Read more

Mistakes in some arguments given for Russia’s action [re: Ukraine]

Maidan Square file photo

Subject:  Mistakes in some arguments given for Russia’s action Date:     Fri, 14 Mar 2014 From:   Ira Straus IRASTRAUS@aol.com Mistakes in some arguments given for Russia’s action By Ira Straus U.S. Coordinator Committee on Eastern Europe and Russia in NATO A. The imagined NATO threat It is argued that the EU association agreement was a step to NATO membership, and Russia […]

» Read more

Mr. Putin’s mercenaries

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(opendemocracy.net – Roman Osharov – March 14, 2014) Roman Osharov is a Moscow-based freelance journalist. His work has appeared in Voice of America’s Russian Service, The New Times magazine and Slon.ru The Kremlin claims that its every step in Crimea fully complies with international law. But does President Putin understand that, under international law, Ukraine could either arrest or shoot […]

» Read more

Statement of G-7 Leaders on Ukraine

File Photo of G8 Heads of State Outdoors in 2013

(The White House – Office of the Press Secretary – For Immediate Release – March 12, 2014) We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, call on the Russian Federation to cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea […]

» Read more

Statement of Concerned Scholars Regarding the Conflict in Ukraine

Maidan Square file photo

Subject: Statement of Concerned Scholars Regarding the Conflict in Ukraine Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 From: Juliet Johnson, Prof. <juliet.johnson@mcgill.ca> Dear David, I’m writing to bring to your attention to the “Statement of Concerned Scholars Regarding the Conflict in Ukraine.” My colleague Maria Popova and I wrote this statement, and since Sunday afternoon 340 academics working on Ukrainian and Russian […]

» Read more

GERMANY/EU/UKRAINE: Fine-grained response likely to Crimean referendum

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Business News Europe – bne.eu – Teneo Intelligence – March 13, 2014) In response to the Crimean referendum, the EU will likely move to level two of its sanctions menu. Asset freezes and travel bans will be applied only gradually, amid German unwillingness to escalate to broader economic measures. No quick fix to the crisis is expected by Berlin, amid […]

» Read more

As Sanctions Loom, U.S. ‘Mistake’ Vulnerable to Russian Attack

File Photo of U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber – March 13, 2014) The U.S. and European Union moved closer to imposing sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, as a discrepancy in a U.S. interpretation of President Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric about the Ukrainian crisis opened itself up to Russian attacks. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution on Tuesday that […]

» Read more

Crimean Tatars’ rights to be reinstated in case of Crimea’s annexation – Naryshkin

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Interfax -MOSCOW. March 12, 2014) The State Duma will confirm the guarantees of restoring the rights for the Crimean Tatar people in the event of Crimea’s reunification with Russia, lower house chairman Sergei Naryshkin said. “I would like to reassure them that in the event that the Crimean population decides during a free democratic referendum on Crimea’s annexation to Russia […]

» Read more

Crimean standoff sees torn loyalties added to frayed nerves

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Graham Stack in Sevastopol – March 12, 2014) The standoff in Crimea between Russian and Ukrainian forces is seeing torn loyalties add to the pressure on Ukraine’s penned-in units, epitomized by the position of Sevastopol’s illustrious Nakhimov naval college. Head of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, 53-year-old Vice Admiral Aleksandr Vitko, the key military figure […]

» Read more

Putin’s Failure in Crimea

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Paul Goble* – Staunton, March 12, 2014) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his supporters in Moscow and the West are explaining and justifying his invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea in various ways and celebrating the divisions and weaknesses of the West that it has highlighted, but in every case, they are treating it as a geopolitical victory for the Kremlin. They […]

» Read more

Who’s next on Putin’s list?

Vladimir Putin file photo

(opendemocracy.net – Agnia Grigas – March 12, 2014) Crimea is under the control of Russia’s military forces and its Moscow-backed government is voting to secede from Ukraine.  Where might President Vladimir Putin seek territorial expansion next? Agnia Grigas served as an advisor in the Lithuanian government. She consults for multinational corporations investing in emerging markets and is the author of […]

» Read more

Crimea Tatar head threatens partisan movement if Russia annexes

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Graham Stack in Bakhchysarai – March 11, 2014)  Given the collapse of Kyiv’s power on the Crimean peninsula, the Tatar population remains a bulwark of resistance to the plans of Crimea’s Kremlin-backed secessionist leadership to join Russia. bne visited the heartland of Crimean Tatars at Bakhchysarai and spoke to its leader, Ilmi Umerov, who […]

» Read more

Crimean parliament offers broader rights to Crimean Tatars – Interfax

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

SIMFEROPOL. March 11 (Interfax) – The Crimean parliament has passed a resolution on guarantees of the restoration of the Crimean Tatar people’s rights and their integration into the Crimean Community, which proposes broadening the rights of the deported ethnic group considerably in the autonomous republic’s new constitution. Eighty-one Crimean parliamentary deputies voted in support of the resolution on Tuesday, the […]

» Read more

Interfax: Yanukovych blames Ukraine’s current authorities for Crimea’s separation

Viktor Yanukovych file photo

ROSTOV-ON-DON. March 11 (Interfax) – Ukraine’s president, Viktor Yanukovych, said that the socioeconomic situation will deteriorate in Ukraine under the current government and that he does not bear responsibility for Crimea’s “separation from Ukraine.” “The socioeconomic situation will seriously deteriorate soon, which will deal a direct blow to the people of Ukraine. Those who have usurped power will try to […]

» Read more

Crimean authorities say Ukrainian Defense Ministry units quartered in Crimea disobey Kyiv – Interfax

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

SIMFEROPOL. March 10 (Interfax) – The units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry quartered in Crimea are off-the-line and do not obey orders of Kyiv, Crimea’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev told Interfax on Monday. “Almost all military units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry located in Crimea are under control, joint patrolling of storages with arms is being held and […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Preparations for Joining Russia Already Underway – Aksyonov

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

SIMFEROPOL, March 10 (RIA Novosti) – Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said Monday that preparations for the the southern Ukrainian region to become part of Russia are already underway. Crimea was flooded with Russian troops following the fall of the government in the capital, Kiev, last month and a referendum to decide whether the region will become part of Russia […]

» Read more

Interfax: Crimean leaders blame Kyiv for selling Ukraine off for IMF loans

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Interfax – March 9, 2014) Crimea’s deputy prime minister, Olga Kovitidi, described as predatory the terms of an agreement Kyiv is ready to accept from the International Monetary Fund. The tentative agreement with the IMF which the Ukrainian authorities signed with the IMF on March 2, says that the country’s entire gas pipeline system will be handed over for free […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Kiev Plans No Troop Deployment in Crimea – Minister

Maidan Square file photo

MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti) – The movement of troops in western Ukraine, reported by the country’s media, was held as part of military exercises and is not related to events in the breakaway region of Crimea, the acting defense minister said on Sunday. Crimea, the autonomous, largely pro-Russian republic, was taken over by thousands of troops without insignia widely […]

» Read more

Interfax: Crimean speaker speaks on new Ukrainian administration’s attempts to reach agreements with Crimea

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) – The new administration of Ukraine has made attempts to reach agreements with Crimea, but the arguments of the people of Crimea were not heard, Volodymyr Konstantynov, chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, said in the Russian State Duma deputies on Friday. “Then [after attempts to use force] they started dialogue […]

» Read more
1 7 8 9 10