President Vladimir Putin dismissed Western sanctions as "utter foolishness" on Thursday and said they would not stop Russia developing into a stronger economic power.

• October 2, 2014

Latvians look likely to back their hawkish centre-right ruling coalition in a parliamentary election on Saturday amid increased tensions with giant neighbor Russia, Riga's communist-era ruler, over the Ukraine crisis

• October 2, 2014

A European Union deal to cut fuel use and increase renewable energy would be a better punishment on Moscow than more sanctions as it would clearly show the EU means to cut reliance on Russian gas, Denmark's foreign minister said on Thursday.

• October 2, 2014

NATO's new leader offered an olive branch to Russia on Wednesday, saying he saw no contradiction between a strong alliance and building a constructive relationship with Moscow.

• October 1, 2014

Amendments to a EU-Ukraine trade deal at the centre of tensions between Russia and the West can only be agreed between Brussels and Kiev, the head of the European Commission has said.

• October 1, 2014

Turkey signalled it may send troops into Syria or Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases to fight Islamic State, as coalition jets launched air strikes on Wednesday on insurgents besieging a town on its southern border with Syria.

• October 1, 2014

Russia's energy minister said on Tuesday he hoped to reach a deal in a gas dispute with Ukraine this week, but Kiev must pay some of its large debts before Moscow resumes gas supplies.

• September 30, 2014

The European Union decided on Tuesday to keep in place a package of economic sanctions against Russia over its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine despite what it called "encouraging developments" on the ground after a ceasefire deal.

• September 30, 2014