Russian strikes against Syrian opposition are helping IS: UK's Hammond
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Wednesday that Russia's continued focus on targeting most of its air strikes in Syria against opposition forces rather than Islamic State was helping the militants advance.
Ukraine says Russia looted two Crimean oil rigs
Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of looting two of its oil rigs after Crimea-based oil and gas firm Chornomornaftogaz moved the equipment off the coast of the annexed peninsula into Russian waters.
Russia's Putin orders suspension of free trade zone with Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered his government to suspend Russia's free trade zone with Ukraine from Jan. 1, making good on Moscow's threats to Kiev which seeks closer ties with the European Union.
EU expected to agree on extending Russian sanctions on Friday
The European Union is set to agree a six-month extension of its economic sanctions on Russia on Friday, once Italy's prime minister has discussed the issue with his fellow leaders at a summit in Brussels, diplomats said on Tuesday.
Kerry says Russia, U.S. can work together on Syria
Russia and the United States can work together to make progress in ending the war in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, seeking to narrow their differences over a political transition in Damascus.
Free Syrian Army rebels deny Russian support
Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad in western Syria denied receiving any support from the Russian air force, saying that on the contrary it continued to bomb them and rejecting comments by a top Russian general on Monday.
Russia says Kerry, Lavrov agree on preconditions for next international Syria meeting
Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov had agreed in a phone call on the preconditions necessary for another meeting of world powers on Syria.
With change of tone, EU warms to Turkey, Serbia membership bids
The European Union revived Turkey's membership bid on Monday and opened accession talks with Serbia, showing how a migration crisis and Russia's presence in the Balkans has prompted the EU to rethink plans to stop expanding.
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