U.S. President Barack Obama made clear he was some way from a decision on whether to arm Ukraine in its conflict against Russian-backed rebels, saying on Monday he still hoped for a diplomatic solution.

• February 9, 2015

NATO and Russia failed to narrow their differences over the Ukraine crisis in talks on Saturday but agreed they would keep talking to each other.

• February 7, 2015

Germany's Angela Merkel warned on Saturday that sending arms to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian separatists would not solve the crisis there, drawing a sharp rebuke from a leading U.S. senator who accused Berlin of turning its back on an ally in distress.

• February 7, 2015

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov is the highest-profile target of new sanctions due to be formally endorsed by European Union foreign ministers on Monday, diplomatic sources told Reuters.

• February 6, 2015

NATO's top military commander, U.S. General Philip Breedlove, said on Friday the West should be ready to use "all tools in the tool bag" to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian separatists, though he did not specify if that should include arming Kiev.

• February 6, 2015

Moscow would see any decision by the United States to give Ukraine lethal weapons as a threat to Russia's security, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.

• February 5, 2015

European Union governments have agreed on a list of new entities and Russian and pro-Moscow Ukrainian individuals who will suffer sanctions in the bloc, diplomats said on Thursday.

• February 5, 2015

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Dr Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas and Lecturer in Energy Politics at the European University of St Petersburg

• Gazprom and the EU: European Commission again delays ruling on Gazprom’s usage of the OPAL pipeline
• Nord Stream: Gazprom abandons plans for Nord Stream extension
• South Stream: Gazprom agrees to buy out its European partners in South Stream Transport
• Turkish Stream: Gazprom agrees on a route for ‘Turkish Stream’ with its Turkish partners, as Botaş is named as the Turkish representative in the project
  - Is Gazprom’s determination to reduce dependence on Ukrainian gas transit realistic?
• Ukraine: Gazprom calls on Naftogaz to pay its debts and reminds them that the ‘Winter Package’ will end on the 1st of April
• Belarus: Gazprom could shut down its representative office and concentrate its activities in the HQ of its Belarusian subsidiary, Gazprom Transgaz Belarus
• China: Gazprom launches increased gas production in the Yamal Peninsula, leading to speculation that this gas is destined for export to China
  - Gazprom Marketing & Trading Singapore signs long-term contract with Yamal LNG

• February 4, 2015