Russia said on Monday it blocked a U.N. Security Council declaration on the siege of the Syrian town of al-Qusair over the weekend because it amounted to a demand for a unilateral ceasefire by government forces.

• June 3, 2013

Ukraine has signed a memorandum on deepening cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission, a regulatory body of the Eurasian Customs Union.

• June 1, 2013

The United States and Germany told Russia on Friday that arming President Bashar al-Assad's forces could jeopardize international efforts for a peace conference on Syria.

• June 1, 2013

Russia plans to resume nuclear submarine patrols in the southern seas after a hiatus of more than 20 years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Saturday, in another example of efforts to revive Moscow's military.

• June 1, 2013

While Syrian President Bashar al-Assad implied that Damascus had received sophisticated Russian anti-aircraft missiles in a TV interview, Russian reports clarified Friday that the S-300 systems had not yet arrived in Syria.

• May 31, 2013

Turkey is ready to deliver Turkmenistan’s natural gas to consumers in Europe, Turkish President Abdullah Gül said yesterday, supporting the Central Asian nation’s plans to build alternative pipelines and ease dependence on exports to Russia.

• May 31, 2013

The United States has lifted a ban on sales of communications equipment to Iranians and opened access to Internet services and social media.

• May 31, 2013

President Bashar al-Assad has said Russian anti-aircraft missiles have arrived in Syria, Lebanese TV reported, in a claim that is likely to dramatically increase tensions in the region and could provoke the Israelis to launch a strike against the weapons.

• May 30, 2013