Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 27 December. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

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NEWS:
Lavrov hopes that Trump will not blackmail Russia.  In Lavrov offended by Obama through the supply of weapons to Syria.  Germany’s Steinmeier concerned by recent developments in EU.  U.S. Republican Senators in Baltics to soothe concerns over Trump policy.  US Ambassador: Ukraine has made significant progress in foreign policy.  New Moldovan President sacked defense minister because of "flirting with NATO".  

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Foreign Ministry regards US arms supplies to Syria as a hostile step

Deliveries of the US arms to Syria directly threaten aircraft VKS Russia. This opinion was expressed official representative of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.

As stated by Maria Zakharova, instead of joint efforts to resist "rampant extremists of all stripes," Washington made a bid for military aid to anti-government forces, which are not much different from the "murderous thugs."

"The decision is also a direct threat to aircraft VKS Russia, another Russian military personnel and our Embassy in Syria repeatedly subjected to shelling. So consider this step as an enemy, "- said Maria Zakharova in a statement posted on the website of Foreign Ministry .

According to Zakharova, the Obama administration can not understand that supplied weapons, including MANPADS, "quickly be in the hands of jihadists, which moderate opposition CAP operates at the same time."

"Maybe (the Obama administration. - Ed. Ed.) Even expect that will happen ... other than aiding terrorists, it will not name," - said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

As you know, President Obama signed into law the US defense spending in 2017. The document envisages the supply of arms anti-government groups in Syria.

As previously reported, Lavrov expressed hope that the new US administration will not blackmail Russia."

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Head of Foreign Ministry expects to establish a pragmatic dialogue with the new US administration

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov considers possible effective cooperation between Moscow and Washington only if "the United States will no longer use the methods of blackmail." It is reported by "Interfax".

"Effective cooperation between Russia and the United States possible. But when Washington will no longer use the tools of deterrence methods of intimidation, attempts to impose its will. "The ball" in this case - on the American side of the field,"- he said.

Lavrov also said that Russia hopes to establish a pragmatic dialogue with the new US administration and restore interdepartmental communication.

As reported previously Lavrov said that " Moscow are tired of Washington's laments about the cessation of hostilities in Aleppo." "All this could have long ago solved", - he said.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The United States is committed to the security of the Baltic region and NATO, Republican senator John McCain said in the Estonian capital on Tuesday, during a visit seen as an attempt to reassure Baltic allies over the policy of President-elect Donald Trump, Reuters reports.

Trump unnerved many in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia by saying on the campaign trail he would consider a country's contributions to the NATO alliance before coming to its aid.

Russian military involvement in Ukraine and Georgia has stoked fears in the Baltics their former Soviet master might eventually try something similar there.

"I think the presence of the American troops here in Estonia is a signal that we believe in what Ronald Reagan believed, and that is peace through strength," McCain told reporters in the Estonian capital..........

uatoday.tv

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed concern over the situation in the European Union.

As reported by Censor.NET citing DW, he said in an interview with Saarbrücker Zeitung published on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

The diplomat said that Europe was definitely floating through perilous waters and had to find a way to recover as soon as possible.

According to the German foreign minister, the EU must tackle the issues that are still open.

Steinmeier called the future migrants and refugees strategy, internal and external security, labor market and economy the overarching priorities.

The official expressed belief that the residents of EU countries with youth unemployment exceeding 50 percent share no enthusiasm for Europe. However, Steinmeier noted that Europe would be unable to solve its problems with the help of those who see the way out in the return to national separateness.

Steinmeier expressed hope that the authorities standing for Europe and preventing European integration scale-back would be governing everywhere following the elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany in 2017.

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The visa-free travel regime for Ukraine would be introduced in the first half of 2017, together with the ultimate ratification of the EU-Ukraine association agreement, the EU envoy to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli claimed, the Ukrainska Pravda reports.

Although the EU envoy added he could not talk about any certain dates for finalising the bureaucratic procedures in the EU.

"I can not tell you how much time it would take. There would be new talks between the European Council, the European Parliament and the EU Commission, and then the lawmakers would have to approve the decision," he said.

The European Parliament will hold a vote on suspension mechanism for non-visa short travels for the third countries nationals, Mingarelli also noted..............

uatoday.tv

Among the achievements of Ukraine Ambassador Marie Jovanovich called to establish effective cooperation with key partners

Ukraine managed to achieve considerable success in its foreign policy through the use of information and diplomatic means. This was stated by US Ambassador Marie Jovanovich Ukraine, while foreign forum, organized by the Institute of World Politics.

"For 25 years after independence, Ukraine has been fighting in hybrid war with Russia. As Ukrainian military who deserve recognition for stopping the separatists, operating under the control of Russia and Ukrainian diplomats deserve awards. Because every day they have to look for countering the many challenges around the world in the context of misinformation about the internal situation in Ukraine and its foreign policy", - said Jovanovic.

The US ambassador said that the last two years have shown that Ukraine is very successful in its foreign policy. Among the achievements of Ukraine Ambassador Jovanovic called to establish effective cooperation with key partners, continued sanctions against Russia as from the EU and the US, as well as progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement and visa liberalization.

"Ukraine should continue to move forward to create a new history, which should be based not only on the information campaign, but also on concrete facts. Here, I mean to continue to be proactive constructive partner in the Minsk agreements, which is a guarantee of peace in the world. Also, you should focus on domestic policy, namely to promote more effective implementation of reforms ", - said Jovanovic, separately mentioning the fight against corruption.

The US ambassador stressed the importance of attracting support from the international business community.

"If Ukraine demonstrates success in carrying out important economic reforms to create a favorable business environment, improved infrastructure, a regime of intellectual property rights protection and the fight against corruption; alone business community and its leaders will be interested in information about the positive changes taking place in Ukraine", - said Jovanovic.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

It is noted that the Minister openly advocated the unification of Moldova with Romania

The new pro-Russian president of Moldova Igor Dodon signed a decree on the resignation of Defense Minister Anatoly Shalaru, explaining the move "bad reputation" official.

The corresponding message from the scan decree published on the official Dodon on Facebook.

"Recall that the Minister is those flirting with NATO, knowing that we are a neutral country, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova", - said in a statement.

It is also noted that the Minister openly advocated the unification of Moldova with Romania and "fired numerous experts on defense and security, replacing them with people close to the Liberal Party and unionist ideology."

"All these things are absolutely incompatible with the duties of defense minister of an independent and sovereign country, which has clear provisions set forth in the Constitution of neutrality" - said Dodon.



Earlier it was reported that new residence of the President of Moldova disappeared EU flag.

Recall, December 23 at the Palace of the Republic in Chisinau took a solemn joint session of parliament and the Constitutional Court, in which the ceremony of inauguration of the new President of Moldova Igor Dodon.

He won the second round of presidential elections on 13 November. It receives a little more than 52% of voters. His main rival in the elections, the leader of "Action and Solidarity" Maia Sandu has about 48% of the vote.

After winning the elections, Dodon outlined the priorities of his foreign policy as president: the restoration of the strategic partnership with Russia and preserve relations with the EU.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

"The United States continues to build up pressure on Russia with new sanctions for its violation of international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine. 15 Russian arms sector entities as well as 8 entities illegally operating in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea are under strengthened U.S. sanctions," Embassy of Ukraine in the USA wrote on Facebook...............

unian.info

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is furious about last week’s United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction, and he’s directing his fury at President Obama, the U.N., the Palestinians, and a big chunk of the international community.

The U.N. Security Council Resolution that passed by a vote of 14-0, with the United States abstaining, affirmed that Israeli settlements built on occupied Palestinian land was a “flagrant” violation of international law. Israel first took over the West Bank and eastern parts of Jerusalem after winning the Six-Day War in 1967, and has administered military rule over Palestinians in those areas ever since.

The resolution is nonbinding, which means it doesn’t compel the Israeli government to do anything, and Netanyahu has vowed to keep building settlement housing. Though there is nothing in the resolution that differs from the international law and official U.S. government policy for decades, it is the first U.N. resolution to specifically refer to Israeli settlements as illegal since 1980.

Netanyahu’s rage comes from the international community’s view of settlement construction. Netanyahu and the Israeli right wing believe they have a right to build on land to which they have religious and cultural ties; among Israelis and Israeli media, the West Bank is commonly referred to as “Judea and Samaria,” Biblical Jewish names for the region. The vast majority of the rest of the world, and international law, view such construction as an illegal act on Palestinian or “disputed” land, abetted by Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.................

Access complete text of the editorial:  vice.com In English

The creation of the OSCE police mission won’t minimize firing. On the contrary, the mission will play into Moscow’s hands as Russia, the aggressor country, has a 40%-quota in the OSCE, military expert Oleh Starykov said, speaking on ZIK TV Dec. 27.

“If 40% of the police force staff comes from Russia and Moscow’s puppets Belarus or Kazakhstan, it will be Russia’s police mission,” Starykov said.

The country that attacked Ukraine cannot be represented on the mission, he said.

In October, Normandy group negotiators agreed to establish an OSCE police mission in the rebel-held territories of Donbas.

zik.ua

The White House will soon announce the introduction of a number of measures in response to the hacking attack on the Russian political establishment in the US presidential race this year, including the anticipated including the introduction of economic sanctions against Russia.

This writes The Washington Post .

"The Obama administration is close to a number of ads steps to punish Russia for its intervention in the presidential election in 2016, including in the form of economic sanctions and diplomatic condemnation," - noted in the publication, citing official sources.

This indicates that the administration is now working out the details, which will also include covert actions, among which are likely to be in operation and response in cyberspace. It is expected that the public response of the United States will be announced this week.

Discussion of sanctions was the culmination of a long debate in the White House on how to revise the existing order to give the president authority to respond to cyber attacks from abroad that have focused on the electoral system in the United States.

Recall this month in Washington, during a closed briefing with senators unveiled a secret CIA assessment. Office named "absolutely clear" that the goal of hacker attacks in Russia was helping Donald Trump win the presidential race.

ukrinform.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The strength of tremors reached 5.4 on the Richter scale

On the night of Wednesday, December 28, in Romania there was an earthquake, felt that the people of Ukraine. The epicenter was located in Vrancea, the force pushes reached 5.4 on the Richter scale.

The effects of aftershocks felt from Odessa, Krivoy Rog, Kyiv and other cities. They share their impressions on social networks.

glavcom.ua, In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Cause of death is not exactly known in social networks Lugansk write about a heart attack

In Lugansk died one of the organizers of the "LNR" and current "minister" with the Food and Agriculture Sergey Litvin.

"In parallel, he was listed as" deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers. " At the time, Lytvyn was an adviser to the leader of the "LNR" carpenter. He lit up in the fighting in Krasny Liman and Slavyansk. Cause of death is not exactly known in social networks Lugansk write about a heart attack,"- said" Express".

glavcom.ua, In Ukrainian / на українській мові