The European Union and the United States are not poised to slap fresh sanctions on Russia on Friday despite a U.S. warning that Moscow had only 'hours" to act on disarming Ukraine separatists, Western diplomats said.

• June 27, 2014

Ukraine signed on Friday an historic free-trade agreement with the European Union that has been at the heart of months of violence and upheaval in the country, drawing an immediate threat of "grave consequences" from Russia.

• June 27, 2014

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the second time in two days on Thursday to discuss how to help resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

• June 26, 2014

Asian shares ticked higher on Tuesday as improved manufacturing data from China, Japan and the United States augured well for global growth, despite a disappointing result from the euro zone.

• June 25, 2014

Asian shares ticked higher on Tuesday as improved manufacturing data from China, Japan and the United States augured well for global growth, despite a disappointing result from the euro zone.

• June 24, 2014

Manufacturing in China and Japan returned to growth in June after months of decline but an unexpectedly sharp fall in French business activity dragged on the wider euro zone, surveys showed on Monday.

• June 23, 2014

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Russia on Monday that the EU was ready to impose tougher sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine if it is not satisfied with Moscow's response to Kiev's peace plan.

• June 23, 2014

Baltic leaders said on Saturday they would back further sanctions against Russia at a European Union summit next week unless there was a de-escalation in eastern Ukraine where Kiev is trying to quell a pro-Russian insurgency.

• June 21, 2014