The United States has condemned the increasingly heavy-handed tactics employed by Belarus authorities against demonstrators and journalists during the weekly peaceful protests that began in early June

• July 8, 2011

Kyiv and Chisinau will coordinate their efforts on joining the European Union. Such an agreement was reached at a meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryshchenko and Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leanca, which was held during the Ukrainian minister's visit to Moldova.

• July 8, 2011

The proposed merger of the electricity assets of state-run Russian gas giant Gazprom and the privately owned Renova Group is likely to face a stern regulatory challenge as the deal would effectively roll back recent efforts to privatise the country's electricity generation sector.

• July 8, 2011

Russia stepped up its efforts to negotiate a resolution to the war in Libya, with officials here receiving the president of South Africa, who has offered his services as a mediator, and the secretary general of NATO.

• July 5, 2011

Estonian and Russian experts met in Tallinn to discuss the financial, economic, environmental and nuclear safety issues concerning the planned nuclear power plant in Kaliningrad

• July 5, 2011

Russian nuclear power engineering company Atomstroyexport and Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD have extended their agreement to build the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria until September 30, the Russian company said today.

• July 4, 2011

Russia has restored power supplies to Belarus after Minsk paid its overdue electricity bills. Belarus's struggle to meet its financial obligations highlights the country's severe economic plight.

• July 3, 2011

Mongolia said Thursday that it has halved the number of shortlisted bidders seeking to develop the prized Tavan Tolgoi coking coal mine to three, and Chinese and Russian groups are still in the running.

• July 1, 2011