Ukraine News in brief. Friday 19 January. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY HEADLINES:
Britain and France have decided to unite in the face of Putin's aggression.  Strengthen sanctions and armament Ukraine: Foreign Affairs urges US to respond to Russian aggression.  Lukashenka responded to Trump's proposal to postpone talks on Donbas from Minsk. Ukraine will become one of the topics of Tillerson's visit to Europe.  Western journalist learned about the plans of the European Parliament to reconsider relations with the State Duma of the Russian Federation.  It became known how many Ukrainians are ready to accept Russia's demands for Donbas.  Poroshenko and Yunker discussed the reforms in Ukraine and the issue of the creation of the Anti-corruption court.  Hungary continues to threaten Ukraine not to facilitate negotiations with NATO.  In Russia outraged by the adoption of the law on de-occupation of Donbas.  The 85th anniversary of the Holodomor: a museum will be completed in Kiev, a monument to Mace will be erected and a new film about the events of 1932-33 in Ukraine will be filmed. Russia impedes the investigation of the Khimatak in Syria, US ambassador to the United Nations, Haley. A new episode in the American series Megamachines was filmed about the Ukrainian transport aircraft "Ruslan".

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British Prime Minister Teresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron have called Russia's foreign policy "more aggressive," expressing concern over the tools of strategic blackmail of the Kremlin.

This is announced in a joint communiqué from January 18 on the results of the French-British summit.

"The United Kingdom and France share a general assessment of Russia's more aggressive foreign and defense policy, which goes hand in hand with various forms of strategic intimidation, including the use of misinformation, malicious cybercrime and political subversion," the document said.

London and Paris also expressed their intention to work together on security issues:

"The United Kingdom and France will work together to solve security problems that may arise in the search for a constructive dialogue with Moscow on the appropriate channels."

In addition, Great Britain and France again emphasized that sanctions against the Russian Federation could be lifted only after the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

"We condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and destabilization of eastern Ukraine, and we urge Russia and Ukraine to fully implement the Minsk Agreements, starting with a complete and comprehensive ceasefire. Until Russia fulfills its obligations under the Minsk Treaty, economic sanctions can not be abolished."- said in the communique.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The United States must adequately respond to Russia's interference in its internal policies and take measures to contain further Kremlin military interventions in other countries of the world.

This is stated in the article of the authoritative edition of Foreign Affairs entitled "Containing Russia, Again" (Containing Russia, Again).

"With each new week, evidence of Russia's interference in the US presidential election in 2016 in the United States and with American politics and society as a whole is increasing. At least in 2014, trying to influence the elections and undermine confidence in US democracy, Russia broke American computers citizens and organizations to steal information, released this information by ways aimed at influencing election results and dividing Americans, disseminating disinformation in US social networks through its own media-sponsored state-owned networks and have scaled tens of thousands of bloggers and bots, worked with the Americans, possibly including members of the Donald Trump campaign, to discredit his opponent in the elections, "the article says.

It also points to Russia's geopolitical challenge to the United States:

"Since Vladimir Putin returned to presidency in 2012, Moscow annexed the Crimea, occupied the regions of eastern Ukraine, deployed significant armed forces and ruthless bombing campaigns in Syria to support President Bashar Assad, significantly expanded his armed forces, conducted military training aimed at intimidating Eastern European governments, intervening in Eastern European political systems, and threatened to cut off gas in the most energy-dependent European states Putin is a deeply hostile intelligence officer the democratic changes in any point in Russia, a paranoid of what, in his opinion, is an attempt by the United States to overthrow him and outraged by America's domination in the world after the end of the Cold War, it seems to have set itself the personal priority of weakening the United States and confronting American influence

It is noted that the administration of Barack Obama has long been aware of the scale of Russia's interference with US domestic policy, and then made a very limited set of appropriate measures. In turn, the administration of Donald Trump did even less. In particular, Trump continues to call rumors Russian intervention in the American elections. And only in July 2017 Congress passed an act entitled "Countering Americans Through Sanctions Act" (CAATSA), which extended sanctions against Russia and banned the US president from abolishing them without the consent of the legislature.

The publication emphasizes that the current US sanctions failed to convey a massive message to the Kremlin, but this could be altered by reinforcing sanctions: along with European partners, to expand restrictive measures on those officials who were involved in the interference with the American elections as well as those close to Putin's oligarchs and to introduce a ban on the purchase of Russia's public debt.

The publication also welcomes the efforts made by Facebook and Twitter to detect and block the pro-Kremlin sources of jejunks, but emphasizes that they should not just regulate the "truth" but also inform the users that certain "news" may be misinformation, for example, their sources refer to themselves.

In addition, Foreign Affairs calls on the United States to actively continue its cooperation with its allies in NATO, which means not only the support of an existing number of American troops in Europe - about 60 thousand troops - but also their expansion.

Moreover, the United States must take a tougher stance in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

"Washington should provide additional defense support to Ukraine, including anti-missile radars, reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, safe communication and armored personnel carriers. Ukraine should not encourage the search for a military victory over Russia, which it can not achieve, but with greater help it can increase the cost of occupation for Russia", - the edition writes.

"Finally, in order to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian energy, the administration and Congress should continue to remove restrictions on the export of oil and gas to the United States and to encourage the construction of gas pipelines that bypass Russia (for example, from Turkmenistan through Azerbaijan and Turkey to Europe). And he must call on allies NATO and other EU member states to use alternatives to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia, including by stimulating the purchase of liquefied natural gas from other sources, "Foreign Affairs said.

The publications summed up that Russia will not be a Western partner in the near future:

"If this package of measures sounds like a decree of a new Cold War with Russia, then this is the case. At the beginning of a major assault on American democracy, in an effort to undermine the social world in the United States and Europe and to resist US policy around the world, Russia has demonstrated that it is not Will be a partner, strategically or tactically, in the foreseeable future. Putin may have come to the conclusion that Russia's greater regional and global role requires the weakening of American power. "

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The decision of the military conflict in the east of Ukraine does not depend on whether negotiations on the Donbass from Minsk will be postponed .

This was stated by the head of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus Vladimir Macay, answering the questions of the journalist Associated Press, the press service of the foreign policy department.

"It is worth recalling that Belarus has not been proposed as a platform for negotiations in Ukraine, and the leaders of the Normandy four countries have asked President A. Lukashenko to host participants in meetings on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict," the Belarusian minister said.

He stressed that Belarus "is deeply interested in resolving the conflict in the Donbas.

"Unlike the rest, Belarus does not pursue the laurels of a peacemaker. But this is a conflict in our family, in our region, and we are extremely interested in resolving it. We are not negotiators, but the President of the Republic of Belarus has repeatedly proposed different options for resolving this crisis. , including the willingness to provide control of the Belarusian peacekeepers of the Ukrainian-Russian border and the line of collision, "said MacKay.

According to him, in order to resolve the conflict in the Donbas, a desire is required not only of its parties, but also of the states interested in it.

"It is unlikely that anything depends on the place of negotiations. Negotiations in Ukraine can be carried forward, even if they are to be sure of their success, in Antarctica. But for this confidence to appear, all parties involved in the conflict, as well as allegedly" outsiders, "but very interested states were sincerely aimed at stopping the bloodshed", - summed up the head of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In the coming days, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Europe. During the visit, the American diplomat intends to raise the issue of the situation in Ukraine.

It is reported by the press service of the US Department of State.

A meeting with British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill is scheduled for January 21 in London at Tillerson. The theme of the meeting is "cooperation on issues of mutual interest all over the world, including Iran, Syria, Libya, DPRK and Ukraine."

The situation in Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, the DPRK and Ukraine Tillerson also intends to discuss on January 23 in Paris at a meeting with officials of France.

The head of the State Department will take part in the opening of the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, and from January 24 to 26, he will take part in the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

apostrophe.ua    In Ukrainian/український

The European Parliament plans to review relations with the State Duma of Russia after the presidential elections scheduled for March 18 in Russia will be held.

This was written by Ricard Yosvyak, Brussels correspondent of Radio Liberty on his Twitter page.

"The European Parliament will reconsider its relations with the State Duma of Russia after the Russian presidential election in March, but at the moment official contacts are stopped," the journalist said.

According to him, foreign ministers of the European Union intend to discuss Ukraine in March, and Russia in April.

"EU foreign ministers will discuss Ukraine in March and Russia in April. It is not expected that any decisions will be made, only political discussions are foreseen at this stage," writes Yosvyak.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Most Ukrainians do not agree to comply with Russia's demands for elections and the special status of the occupied territories of the Donbas.

About this in an interview with "Apostrophe" told the director of the fund "Democratic Initiatives" them. Ilka Kucheriva Iryna Bekeshkina.

"It can be said that almost all the compromises that are offered are disagreeable. The least agreeing to hold local elections on terms that the fighters are demanding, only 12% agree," says Bekeshkina, adding that the issue of holding local elections is key to Russia.

Also, Ukrainians are opposed to the formation of courts and prosecutors in the Donbass from local residents, although this item is prescribed in the Minsk agreements.

"They do not agree to special political and economic relations with temporarily uncontrolled territories: 20% agree, 49% - not. And about granting and consolidation in the Constitution of the special status of separate territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts also agree almost 30%, but almost 50% disagree . We see that in general, our population does not give consent ", - the sociologist reports.

Differences in views are observed among the inhabitants of Ukraine on the issue of adopting a law on the neutral and non-aligned status of the country. In the controlled areas of the Donbas, it is believed that the country should not join NATO.

According to Bekeshkin, Ukrainians are united in the opinion that the elections in the Donbass and the formation of power bodies from local residents are inadmissible, as well as the special status of the Donbas.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in a telephone conversation discussed the creation of the Anti-Corruption Court and agreed to continue the dialogue within the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Reported Tsenzor.NET referring to  the Presidential Administration.

"The interlocutors discussed progress in Ukrainian reforms, in particular the issue of the Anti-corruption court." Petro Poroshenko stressed that the Anti-Corruption Court should be created in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, "the press service of the Ukrainian state said on the basis of the conversation.

In addition, the interlocutors agreed to continue the dialogue in Davos during the World Economic Forum.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Syyjarto said that Hungary would not facilitate the NATO-Ukraine meeting at the level of defense ministers.

He stated this after meeting with the chairman of the Hungarian Culture Society in Transcarpathia and the People's Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Vasyl Brenzovich, reports Radio Liberty.

Siyyarto said that Hungary's position remains unchanged: Budapest will not support the European integration aspirations of Kiev while they violate European and international law.
According to the Hungarian minister, Hungary is ready to consult and conclude agreements with Kyiv on the law on education, but only if their content coincides with the interests and desire of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia.

The Minister noted that the official Budapest continues to consider the educational law of Ukraine as being directed against international and European norms, bilateral agreements and a basic agreement between Hungary and Ukraine.

According to Siayardo, all this coincides with the expectations of the European Union, according to which the rights acquired by the national minorities can not be taken away.

The minister added that since the Venice Commission's decision, there was no consultation between the Ukrainian authorities, the Government of Hungary and representatives of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia.

He stressed that in Budapest, with alarm, he was following the further consideration of bills in the Verkhovna Rada, which, in his opinion, discriminated against the rights of national minorities. Siyavorto said that the preliminary work on the preparation of the law on secondary education in Ukraine had begun, but there were no consultations with Hungary and Transcarpathian Hungarians.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russian politicians and advocates protested the adoption of the Ukrainian parliament a law on de-occupation of Donbas and called the move "open preparations for war."
As Tsenzor.NET, expressed their indignation at the head of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko and the representative of the Russian Federation Boris Gryzlov in Minsk.



ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

This year, Ukraine honors the victims of totalitarianism and artificial famine, victims of a hunger-strike against the Ukrainian people.

This was announced during the conciliation council by the Minister of Culture Yevgeniy Nyschuk, the correspondent of Tsensor.NET .

According to Nishchuk, on Monday, under the general leadership of Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman and chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly Igor Rainin, a meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of events in connection with the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine took place.

Nyschuk reminded that during the time of Yanukovych's presidency "the very notion of genocide was silenced in favor of the Russian tyrant."

At the same time, this issue was updated in November 2016 by the decree of President Poroshenko.

"Today, the government assumes the responsibility to assert the truth and, therefore, to declare to the whole world: the Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-33 was a genocide against the Ukrainian people. It is a matter of honor to complete the construction of the National Museum of the Holodomor Victims Memorial," said Nishuk , noting that, along with other measures to honor the victims of the Holodomor, the commissioning of the second stage of the construction of the museum is a priority.

The Minister noted that within the framework of the construction of the museum, the creation of an exposition, "saturated with modern technology and technology of the museum of the future".

"It will be a nationwide ever-active lesson of history and ethics, a lesson in national memory," Nishuk noted.

According to him, it is planned to announce several contests for the grant program for the creation of translations and publication of books on the Holodomor in different languages ​​of the world.

As part of the Holodomor Victims' Honoring, an international scientific conference will be held to attract prominent historians, publicists and bloggers. Also, according to Nishchuk, the government initiates an international demographic examination, "the results of which are being scandalized by the entire civilized world."

Also, according to the minister, a monument to the American researcher James Mace, who at international level has raised the issue of recognition of the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, will be erected in Kiev.

In addition, Nishchuk said that the organizing committee, Premier Groisman, proposed an initiative to create a new feature film about the events of 1932-33 in Ukraine.

"As a minister of culture, I announce a competition for the best scenario idea of ​​such a film," said Nishuk.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has accused the RF of complicating the work of the UN to investigate cases of chemical weapons use in Syria.

Reported Tsenzor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"One country is hurting the United Nations in fulfilling its duty, Russia is a country that has used the right of veto against the UN Security Council resolutions that had to extend the validity period of the UN-CRC Joint Chemical Weapons Convention," said H . Khayli during a speech on Thursday at the UN Security Council Summit on the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

According to her, Russia is trying to help the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to avoid responsibility for the use of chemical weapons.

She noted that the results of the investigation by experts from the Joint Mechanism of the OPCW-UN showed: both the Syrian authorities and the "Islamic State" group used the chemical weapons in Syria.

"If the Russian government is serious about the problem of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, it will convince its Assad satellite that it should destroy its chemical weapons arsenal and fully cooperate with the OPCW and the UN," N. Khayli stressed.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

This is reported by the state-owned enterprise " Antonov " in Facebook.

It is noted that in the episode highly appreciated the possibility of "Ruslan" to transport three helicopters Apache simultaneously.

"In the new issue of Mega Machines: The World's Strongest Plane, the main character was An124-100 Ruslan, which is the largest serially produced transport aircraft. In particular, the creator of the program was impressed with the possibility of "Ruslana" to transport three Apache helicopters. Filming was conducted on airplanes operated by Antonov Airlines, the report said.



Also, as the An-124-100 Flight Ruslan has shipped two 24-tonne filtration pipelines in Santiago de Chile to Mendoza (Argentina) for Hunt & Palmer Cargo Charters in 39 minutes.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український