Mixed messages regarding the potential release of the remaining political prisoners have been coming out of Belarus and from those monitoring the domestic situation in that country.

• May 10, 2013

Israel has asked Russia not to sell Syria an advanced air defense system which would help President Bashar al-Assad fend off foreign military intervention as he battles a more than two-year-old rebellion, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

• May 9, 2013

Russia and the United States have announced they will encourage the rebels in Syria and Damascus government to hold talks on a political transition to end more than two years of bloodshed that has left some 70,000 dead.

• May 8, 2013

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili harshly criticized Georgian government's statements on possible resumption of natural-gas imports from Russia.

• May 8, 2013

The Ukrainian government said it wants to allay European concerns over natural gas supplies by serving as a regional energy hub. Conclusions reached during a roundtable discussion in Brussels last week said Kiev deserves to be lauded for its diversification and gas transit modernization efforts.

• May 7, 2013

Russia and Syria have discussed Israel's airstrike on a military complex near the Syrian capital.

• May 7, 2013

Moscow and Beijing reject UN plans to inspect camps in Jordan, citing possible bid for "foreign intervention" in Syria.

• May 3, 2013

From May 15, 2013 Ukraine will receive European gas via one more reverse route via Slovakia, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky has said.

• May 3, 2013