Ukraine could get EU visa-free status, Latvian FM says:
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on December 16 that the EU might grant both Georgians and Ukrainians visa-free access to the EU's Schengen zone next year.
Rinkevics, whose country takes over the EU's rotating presidency in January 2015, told RFE/RL that both Ukraine and Georgia had a chance to get visa liberalization at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga in May next year.
He noted, "in my ideal world there is at least one or maybe even more than one Eastern partner where the visa-liberalization program is enhanced and introduced," noting that Ukraine is lagging a bit behind for purely technical reasons.
The countries have to undertake several reforms, such as increased judicial cooperation with the EU, before being granted visa-free travel.
Moldovans in April were granted visa-free travel to the Schengen zone, which consists of 22 of the 28 EU member states and non-EU Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Obama set to sign Russia sanctions bill:
The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to sign legislation implementing new sanctions on Russia over its activities in Ukraine by the end of the week.
Press Secretary Josh Earnest made the announcement on December 16 in Washington.
Congress passed the bill on December 13, authorizing new sanctions against Russia's defense and energy industries, including the arms exporter Rosoboroneksport, and investors in its high-tech oil projects.
It also authorizes -- but does not technically require -- $350 million of defense articles for Ukraine's military, including antitank and antiarmor weapons, ammunition, and surveillance drones.
The White House has thus far declined to fulfill Kyiv's request to provide lethal aid.
The announcement came as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Russia has made "constructive moves" in recent days over the conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking in London on December 16, Kerry reiterated that Western sanctions against Russia were introduced to prompt Russia to stop its interference in Ukraine.
He added that the West did not seek to "hurt the people of Russia."