NATO defense ministers agreed on Thursday to set up a network of command centers in eastern Europe and more than double the size of its rapid reaction force to better protect the region in the event of any threat from Russia.

• February 5, 2015

Moscow would see any decision by the United States to give Ukraine lethal weapons as a threat to Russia's security, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.

• February 5, 2015

European Union governments have agreed on a list of new entities and Russian and pro-Moscow Ukrainian individuals who will suffer sanctions in the bloc, diplomats said on Thursday.

• February 5, 2015

France will not for the moment deliver weapons to Ukraine for its fight with pro-Russian separatists, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday.

• February 4, 2015

The United States is reconsidering whether to provide weapons to Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed separatists, senior administration officials said on Monday, adding that no decision had been made.

• February 3, 2015

The West must be ready for a long standoff with Russia over Ukraine and not quickly resume normal ties as it did after the 2008 Georgian war, a top NATO official said on Monday.

• February 2, 2015

British finance minister George Osborne said on Monday that a stand-off between Greece and the euro zone over Greek debt was fast becoming the biggest risk to the global economy.

• February 2, 2015

A new round of peace talks got under way involving Ukraine and separatists on Saturday, even as fighting between Kiev government forces and the Russian-backed rebels raged in Ukraine's east, claiming civilian and military lives.

• January 31, 2015