16:05
26.4.2014
This just came over the Reuters wire:
(URGENT):Russia offered support in effort to free OSCE monitors - Germany
BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday welcomed an offer of support from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to help efforts to free Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitors held in eastern Ukraine.
Steinmeier told reporters that Lavrov had offered his backing during a telephone call earlier in the day.
"I very much welcome the fact that all three promised their help," said Steinmeier, adding he had spoken to Lavrov, Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk and Switzerland's Didier Burkhalter, who currently chairs the OSCE.
Steinmeier said he had sought help from all three.
BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday welcomed an offer of support from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to help efforts to free Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitors held in eastern Ukraine.
Steinmeier told reporters that Lavrov had offered his backing during a telephone call earlier in the day.
"I very much welcome the fact that all three promised their help," said Steinmeier, adding he had spoken to Lavrov, Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk and Switzerland's Didier Burkhalter, who currently chairs the OSCE.
Steinmeier said he had sought help from all three.
16:06
26.4.2014
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
The leader of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk says his group is ready to exchange international observers they are holding for fellow rebels who are in the custody of Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv.
Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, de facto mayor of Slaviansk, told reporters on April 26 that the detained members of an OSCE observer mission were spies and were “in all right condition.”
Ponomaryov said one of the soldiers suffers from diabetes, “but it is not a serious condition. He is on tablets."
Ponomaryov also denied claims by Moscow that Russian authorities have been in contact with him to discuss the release of the observers.
Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, said on April 26 that he will go ahead with an independence referendum for his separatist region on May 11 despite doubts over the logistics and legitimacy of such a vote.
The leader of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk says his group is ready to exchange international observers they are holding for fellow rebels who are in the custody of Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv.
Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, de facto mayor of Slaviansk, told reporters on April 26 that the detained members of an OSCE observer mission were spies and were “in all right condition.”
Ponomaryov said one of the soldiers suffers from diabetes, “but it is not a serious condition. He is on tablets."
Ponomaryov also denied claims by Moscow that Russian authorities have been in contact with him to discuss the release of the observers.
Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, said on April 26 that he will go ahead with an independence referendum for his separatist region on May 11 despite doubts over the logistics and legitimacy of such a vote.
16:58
26.4.2014
17:00
26.4.2014
And we wrap up today's live blogging (barring a major development, of course) with an optimistoic tweet from Euromaidan's English-language feed:
And Facebook page;
And Facebook page;
08:23
27.4.2014
An overnight wrap-up from our newsroom, based on Russian and international agency reports:
Tensions are rising between Washington and Moscow over the taking of international observers hostage by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone April 26 but failed to reach agreement.
Kerry asked Moscow to support efforts to free the military observers, who represent the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
But Lavrov asked Washington to use its influence to win the release of pro-Russian separatist leaders who have been detained by authorities in Kyiv.
Lavrov's request comes as Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the leader of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, says his group is ready to exchange the international observers they are holding for fellow rebels held in Kyiv.
Ponomaryov said the detained OSCE observers, thought to number 13 people, were spies and were “in alright condition.”
But in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Security Service says one of the members of the observer mission members is being held in "inhuman conditions" and is in urgent need of medical care.
The OSCE is sending representatives to negotiate the release of the group.
Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the OSCE, said on April 26 that Moscow will "undertake all possible steps" to free the observers.
The Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial powers has agreed to move forward with additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not take concrete measures to support an agreement reached in Geneva agreement last week to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.
A G7 statement on April 26 said that because of the urgent need to ensure "a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine's presidential election," the group has "committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions."
The statement comes amid media reports quoting unnamed European Union and U.S. administration officials saying the United States and the EU will announce new targeted sanctions against Russian individuals as early as April 28.
The White House said on April 26 that fresh U.S. sanctions have been prepared, but would not immediately comment on the timing or details of who would be targeted.
EU diplomats are to meet in Brussels on April 28 to flesh out the details of what they are calling an additional list of “stage two” sanctions -- such as asset freezes and travel bans.
The Russian ambassador to the United Nations says Moscow has not yet decided whether it will recognize the results of Ukraine's May 25 presidential election.
Vitaly Churkin told the daily "Komsomolskaya Pravda" in an interview published on April 26 that Russian officials "are watching how they take place."
Western governments have criticized Moscow for not exerting its influence to get pro-Russian separatists to leave occupied buildings in eastern Ukraine -- a move Russia had promised to undertake as part of last week's Geneva agreement.
But Churkin said the Ukrainian government "must take the first step." He said Ukraine's government should disarm the nationalist group Right Sector and get Euromaidan activists to leave government buildings in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said April 26 that Russian airspace violations were a "provocation to war."
Ukrainian presidential candidate and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in Kyiv on April 26 that "Ukraine must be strong and must repel the invader, so that he will never have such plans and intentions again."
Separately, Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic,said April 26 that he will go ahead with an independence referendum for his separatist region on May 11.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone April 26 but failed to reach agreement.
Kerry asked Moscow to support efforts to free the military observers, who represent the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
But Lavrov asked Washington to use its influence to win the release of pro-Russian separatist leaders who have been detained by authorities in Kyiv.
Lavrov's request comes as Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the leader of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, says his group is ready to exchange the international observers they are holding for fellow rebels held in Kyiv.
Ponomaryov said the detained OSCE observers, thought to number 13 people, were spies and were “in alright condition.”
But in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Security Service says one of the members of the observer mission members is being held in "inhuman conditions" and is in urgent need of medical care.
The OSCE is sending representatives to negotiate the release of the group.
Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the OSCE, said on April 26 that Moscow will "undertake all possible steps" to free the observers.
The Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial powers has agreed to move forward with additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not take concrete measures to support an agreement reached in Geneva agreement last week to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.
A G7 statement on April 26 said that because of the urgent need to ensure "a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine's presidential election," the group has "committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions."
The statement comes amid media reports quoting unnamed European Union and U.S. administration officials saying the United States and the EU will announce new targeted sanctions against Russian individuals as early as April 28.
The White House said on April 26 that fresh U.S. sanctions have been prepared, but would not immediately comment on the timing or details of who would be targeted.
EU diplomats are to meet in Brussels on April 28 to flesh out the details of what they are calling an additional list of “stage two” sanctions -- such as asset freezes and travel bans.
The Russian ambassador to the United Nations says Moscow has not yet decided whether it will recognize the results of Ukraine's May 25 presidential election.
Vitaly Churkin told the daily "Komsomolskaya Pravda" in an interview published on April 26 that Russian officials "are watching how they take place."
Western governments have criticized Moscow for not exerting its influence to get pro-Russian separatists to leave occupied buildings in eastern Ukraine -- a move Russia had promised to undertake as part of last week's Geneva agreement.
But Churkin said the Ukrainian government "must take the first step." He said Ukraine's government should disarm the nationalist group Right Sector and get Euromaidan activists to leave government buildings in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said April 26 that Russian airspace violations were a "provocation to war."
Ukrainian presidential candidate and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in Kyiv on April 26 that "Ukraine must be strong and must repel the invader, so that he will never have such plans and intentions again."
Separately, Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic,said April 26 that he will go ahead with an independence referendum for his separatist region on May 11.
08:24
27.4.2014
U.S. President Barack Obama says new international sanctions set to be imposed on Russia are necessary to send a message to Russia to stop destabilizing the situation in eastern Ukraine. Speaking in Malaysia on April 27, Obama said, "It is important for us to take further steps sending a message to Russia." Obama added that "Russia has not lifted one finger to help" since the April 17 Geneva meeting when the top diplomats of Russia, Ukraine, the United States and European met, seeking ways to decrease tensions in Ukraine. The U.S. president reiterated that as long as Russia does not take action to reign in pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine "there are going to be consequences and those consequences will continue to grow."
Obama was speaking a day after the G7 group announced they would impose new sanctions on Russia within days.
Obama was speaking a day after the G7 group announced they would impose new sanctions on Russia within days.
08:26
27.4.2014
08:27
27.4.2014
08:44
27.4.2014
08:57
27.4.2014
This is not easy to watch, and the identities of the interrogators/"journalists" have not been confirmed.