Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the West on Friday for what he said were constant attempts to blame Russia for the crisis in east Ukraine and said Moscow was not isolated over the conflict.

• December 5, 2014

The flags of Russia, Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists flutter over a water tower building on one of the few stretches of the frontline in eastern Ukraine where peace has broken out.

• December 5, 2014

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has insisted the $40 billion South Stream natural gas pipeline can still go ahead and accused Russia of holding EU-member Bulgaria to ransom when it said it had abandoned the project.

• December 4, 2014

U.S. and EU leaders will on Wednesday pledge to work together on sanctions and on strengthening the energy security of Europe and Ukraine, as they seek to present a united front to Russia, a draft document said.

• December 3, 2014

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will talk to European allies this week about imposing further sanctions on Russia if pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine do not halt violence, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

• December 2, 2014

Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) on Monday cancelled a project to construct the South Stream pipeline to supply gas to southern Europe - an apparent casualty of the dispute between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.

• December 1, 2014

Ukraine said on Sunday that a convoy of 106 vehicles had entered its eastern territory from Russia without Kiev's permission and accused Moscow of once again using humanitarian aid shipments to send weapons and ammunition to separatist rebels.

• November 30, 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey on Monday will have trade and energy issues at its heart, but is not expected to bridge deep differences over Syria and Crimea.

• November 28, 2014