After a week of bruising criticism from the West over the jailing of his main political opponent, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday heard the words that put all strongman leaders at ease.

• Date: 21.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 21.10.2011  |  External Relations  |  from time.com

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said he expects the 2009 gas contract between Russia and Ukraine to be revised "within a few days" after meeting with counterpart Vladimir Putin.

• Date: 20.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 20.10.2011  |  Energy  |  from anhourago.eu

Two U.S. senators urged the Obama administration on Wednesday not to sacrifice Georgia's security and sovereignty concerns in Washington's effort to help Moscow join the World Trade Organization.

• Date: 20.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 20.10.2011  |  External Relations  |  from wtaq.com

Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry has released a statement criticizing Russia for its position on Turkmenistan's cooperation with the European Union.

• Date: 19.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 19.10.2011  |  Energy  |  from rferl.org

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Ukraine and other ex-Soviet republics making up the Commonwealth of Independent State have agreed to set up a free trade zone.

• Date: 19.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 19.10.2011  |  External Relations  |  from france24.com

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday welcomes Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev for energy talks after Kiev opened a rift with the EU by jailing ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet in the Ukrainian leader's industrial power base of Donetsk for a summit on regional cooperation but energy is expected to top the agenda.

• Date: 18.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 18.10.2011  |  Energy  |  from rnw.nl

An International Monetary Fund official says the Belarusian government must show a firm commitment to stability and reforms in order to qualify for IMF loans.

• Date: 17.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 17.10.2011  |  External Relations  |  from moneywatch.bnet.com

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has written a letter to Ukraine’s president warning that bilateral relations – now dominated by free-trade talks – could be damaged by the “political” prosecution of opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko.

• Date: 15.10.2011  |  Published on EGF: 15.10.2011  |  External Relations  |  from theglobeandmail.com