And here's another news desk item, this time on those controversial Mistral warships:
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Drian said today that Paris will wait until November to decide whether to deliver a new warship to Russia.
In September, after fierce criticism from NATO allies, France suspended delivery of the first of two Mistral-class helicopter assault ships ordered by Russia.
On September 4, French President Francois Hollande's office pointed to Russia's support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, saying that the conditions for delivering the warship were "not to date in place."
Since then, Hollande has said a cease-fire deal reached in Minsk between Kyiv, Moscow, and eastern Ukraine's pro-Russian separatists must be "completely respected" before France delivers the ship.
France agreed in 2011 to build and sell the two assault ships to Russia.
The first originally was scheduled for delivery in October or November 2014 and the second in 2015.
(AFP, AP, Reuters)
RFE/RL's news desk has issued this item from our Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak:
BRUSSELS -- European Union ambassadors on October 28 decided to keep in place all existing EU sanctions that have been imposed against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
When the sanctions were imposed, EU member states decided to review Russia’s actions toward Ukraine at the end of October -- holding out the possibility that sanctions could be ramped up or scaled down.
Leaders of countries like Italy and Hungary have said that the sanctions do not work and should be eased or lifted.
But all member states must agree in order to change the sanctions regime.
EU members are far from agreeing on lifting the sanctions – with some countries, such as Lithuania, saying that sanctions against Russia sound be tightened even further.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been tweeting extensively about the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv from Nazi rule on October 28, 1944. Here's a selection of some of them:
70 years ago our grandfathers and great-grandfathers liberated Ukraine from fascist invaders.
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
Heroic defenders of the Carpathian Ukraine entered an unequal battle with occupational troops.
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
Contribution of Ukrainians to the liberation of European people from Nazism and common victory in the Second World War is undeniable.
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
Even not being an independent state, Ukraine de-facto turned out an important member of Anti-Hitler coalition and became a co-founder of @UN
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
According to different estimations, form 8 to 9 million Ukrainians died in battles,occupation,concentration camps,ghettos and prisons abroad
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
The borders of Ukraine have been inviolable for 70 years until war has returned again.This time it came not from the West,but from the East
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
Everyone who defended native land in the past and defends it today must be respected by the public. Glory to Ukraine!
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
Nation that remembers the valor of ancestors is invincible. pic.twitter.com/XmRv18xUvg
— Petro Poroshenko (@PoroshenkoEng) October 28, 2014
RFE/RL's news desk has issued this sanctions-related item:
Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russia's state-controlled natural gas monopoly Gazprom, said on October 28 that it has challenged European Union sanctions against the firm in the EU's Court of Justice.
The sanctions against Gazprom Neft were imposed as part of wider restrictions against Russia over its illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The EU sanctions restrict the ability of Gazprom Neft, Russia's fourth biggest oil producer by output, to raise funds on European markets.
The United States also has imposed sanctions against Gazprom Neft in response to Russia's role in Ukraine's crisis.
The West says Moscow is supplying arms and troops to help pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine battle Ukrainian government forces.
Moscow denies that, despite increasing evidence to support the charges.
(Reuters, AP, Tass)
Here's another update from our news desk:
Kyiv has condemned as "destructive and provocative" Russia's support for elections organized by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, saying Moscow's stance could wreck chances for peace.
The November 2 vote was scheduled in defiance of Ukrainian national elections on October 26 which were won by pro-Western parties that are dedicated to holding the country together and negotiating a settlement to eastern Ukraine's conflict.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on October 28 described the vote planned by rebels as "pseudo-elections," saying they "grossly contradict the spirit and letter" of international agreements reached in Minsk in September.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow plans to recognize the elections that are being organized by separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk.
Poroshenko has previously said any local elections in Ukraine must be conducted according to Ukrainian law.
(Reuters, AP, AFP, TASS)