Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in Ukraine by telephone on Tuesday and their positions on the issue are "close", the Kremlin said.

• Date: 04.03.2014  |  Published on EGF: 04.03.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

President Vladimir Putin delivered a robust defense of Russia's actions in Crimea on Tuesday and said he would use force in Ukraine only as a last resort, easing market fears that East-West tension over the former Soviet republic could lead to war.

• Date: 04.03.2014  |  Published on EGF: 04.03.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Pro-Russian demonstrators occupied the regional government building in east Ukraine's city of Donetsk on Monday, besieging lawmakers as they voted to support the protesters but stopped short of meeting their demands for a split from Kiev.

• Date: 03.03.2014  |  Published on EGF: 03.03.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russian President Vladimir Putin secured his parliament's authority on Saturday to invade Ukraine after troops seized control of the Crimea peninsula and pro-Moscow demonstrators hoisted flags above government buildings in two eastern cities.

• Date: 01.03.2014  |  Published on EGF: 01.03.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Armed men took control of two airports in the Crimea region on Friday in what Ukraine's government described as an invasion and occupation by Russian forces, raising tension between Moscow and the West.

• Date: 28.02.2014  |  Published on EGF: 28.02.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russia must be transparent about military exercises along Ukraine's border and not take any steps that could be misinterpreted or "lead to miscalculation during a delicate time," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday.

• Date: 27.02.2014  |  Published on EGF: 27.02.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Waving the Russian flag and chanting "Russia! Russia!", protesters in Crimea have become the last major bastion of resistance to Ukraine's new rulers.

• Date: 27.02.2014  |  Published on EGF: 27.02.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Britain will pay attention to Russian military activities and opposes outside interference in Ukraine, the British defense secretary said on Wednesday after Moscow ordered an urgent drill to test its armed forces across western Russia.

• Date: 26.02.2014  |  Published on EGF: 26.02.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/